Why I dyed my hair PINK
by Abigail15Sage
Summary: Some people say that you can never love in High school. I disagree. I found it very easy to love Sasuke and I was only 17. He saved me, and somehow, I saved him. You'd have to hear our story to get it. "Good god, you bought me a motorcycle?"
1. Chapter 1 Brillant idea

**First summary**: She had changed almost everything about herself for this one guy. Now that she's free from his grasp she's taking a stand and literally flicking off anyone in her way. Until the new kid Sasuke Uchiha tests were limits. And Before she knew it she was in love.

**Current Summary: **Some people say that you can never love in High school. I disagree. I found it very easy to love Sasuke and I was only 17. He saved me, and somehow, I saved him. You'd have to hear our story to get it. "Good god! You bought me a motorcycle?"

I do not own Naruto!

REVIEEWWWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!

*-*-*-Abigail15Sage-*-*-*

_**Quote: "We were given: Two hands to hold. To legs to walk. Two eyes to see. Two ears to listen. But why only one heart? Because the other was given to someone else. For us to find."**_

"He broke up with me." I moaned, tossing myself on top of my bed, and tucked Mr. Penny under my chin. His big orange elephant ears tickled my nose but I didn't pay attention to that.

"Good riddance." Ino tossed her arms in the air. "Good god Sakura, you should be happy. He had _how _many moles on his back?"

I sat up in bed, crossed my legs and glared at the bubble but blonde with everything I had. "That was just a rumor. A rumor I so proudly disproved last fall, remember?"

"Oh yeah." She sighed and fell back on my bed beside me. "But still, get over it. He's a three and a half at most. You're a seven. You deserve way more. Plus if you two ever had kids than they'd be like-"She squinted her eyes and I waited while her bleachy blondey brain calculated the math. Finally I sighed and murmured, "Negative four. They'd be a negative four. But I'd still love them more than you"

She scowled at me, "Okay forehead, stop acting so down about this."

I tucked my bangs behind my ears. "The worst part is I dyed my hair black for that jerk. He wanted a Goth girl, so I obliged." I sighed and pouted at the ceiling. "Now I'm stuck with black hair. Great." I said dryly.

"No…no you aren't!" Ino bounced up from the bed and smiled so wide I thought she might have stitched them that way. Damn she had big lips, why couldn't I have big lips like that?

"Hello, Saki? Are you even listening to me?" Ino waved a manicured hand in my face and I blinked out from my thoughts with a "Uh yeah. Something about lips?"

"What? No! Your way off!" She rested her hands on her hips, but by that excited gleam in her eye I figured I was forgiven. "It was something about hair. Your hair!"

I watched as she paced back and forth. "Umm okay…I'm not even going to pretend to understand."

"Just listen real fast!" She demanded coming to a complete stop at my feet. "Kiba wanted a Goth girl so you totally became a vampire for him, right?"

I narrowed my eyes, suddenly feeling very…suspicious. "More or less. Why?"

"Well what if I told you the perfect way to show him that you couldn't care less about him or what he wanted."

"But I do care." I whined. "A lot!"

Ino let her head drop, muttering "Just stay with me hear Saki." Then shot back up like a pop-tart fresh from the toaster oven. These mood swings of hers were starting to make me dizzy.

"Saki, real fast, the opposite color of black is…?"

I bit my lip nervously, "Uh I'd say blonde."

Ino shook her head like a wet dog, "Close but no. Now guess again, hurry this ones worth a lot of money if you get it right."

I tried to figure out just what had gotten into my friend. She was blonde sure, but now she was acting like a show case host. Her enthusiasm only made me more nervous and I twirled my hair uneasily.

"Oh come on Saki, think!" Only she wasn't looking at me as she said this. She was starring at my bed spread rather intensely. I hadn't seen her focus her attention on anything like this since the porn video we watched on the internet in the sixth grade. But what was so interesting about my covers anyway?

I glanced down at them. I had kept these covers even as I changed gothic for Kiba. They were soft and fuzzy…and a light shade of…. of **pink.**

Suddenly the gears clicked on in my head and my jaw dropped to the floor and then back up again. Ino danced on the tips of her feet like she needed to use the restroom, but instead of a pained expression on her face she wore an excited(and a little bit dirty) smile.

"Shit Ino." I beamed up at her. "You're a fucking genius."

Oh, did I forget to add that I cursed like a sailor when I was happy?


	2. Chapter 2 Phone calls from Kiba

**A/N Thanks to my first two reviewers! SasuSakuKawai and nassima123! I have never met you two but I can tell you guys are sexy beasts! Haha okay so here's the 2nd**** chapter!**

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

Ch.2 Phone calls from Kiba

_**Quote: The best thing about me is you. **_**Shannon Crown**

"Ino?" I tried to stay as still as an ice sculpture, like my best pall Ino had ordered, but it was starting to get pretty hard. Considering I had the worst itch imaginable on the tip f my nose and I couldn't scratch it.

"Stop talking Saki. When you talk your lips move." She scowled at me and continued to apply mascara on my lashes. They were so thick of the stuff that I had to actually use energy to keep them up. Who knew my eye lid muscles were so weak? Did I even have eyelid muscles? And while I'm on the subject of that-

"Hello? Earth to Goth girl!" Ino shouted in my face and I jerked back to the real world,

where Ino was playing cake the makeup on Saki's face.

"I'm here! And so is my nose. Do me a favor and scratch it for me please?" I looked up at her with my oh so famous puppy eyes. But I was beginning to think the ten pounds of mascara on my eyelashes were holding me back.

"Dream on Saki. I'm not going anywhere near your snot rocket." She stuck her nose up In the air and I knew from that gesture alone I was screwed.

Why don't I just scratch the itch myself you ask? Well I would, trust me. I've got no problem with scratching my own nose, in fact I love my nose. But the thing is, Ino, my loving friend, bound my wrists behind me back by taping them to the Toilet.

"Jeez Ino, I promise I won't run away this time. Just un-tape me."

Ino barked out a laugh, " No I'm actually starting to enjoy this." She pulled out her Iphone and aimed it at me. I drew my eye brows in confused, and gasped when I realized what she was doing.

"Bitch!" I screamed, but also couldn't help but laugh "Stop video taping me!"

*-*-*Abiagil15Sage loves you*-*-*

I ran down the stairs like that leprechaun in those cereal commercials.

"Mama!" I screamed and let out another laugh when I just missed Ino's thrashing arms by an inch. "Mom! Inos trying to kill me!"

Mom, in all her glory, came out from the kitchen wiping her hands on a dish towel. "Well I'm sure you disserve it dear." She smiled at me sweetly but I recognized that smile. I had the same one, it was an evil smile no matter which way you looked at it.

"Traitor." I gasped and jumped over a coffee table.

"Mrs. Saki's mom!" Ino whined, "Sakura tricked me!"

"Hardly!" I shot back, but both of them ignored me.

"She said she would stay as still as a bear in hibernation if I untied her. But as you can see-" She pointed a finger at me, "She's moving quite a lot!"

"It's not my fault you know nothing about bears!" I crossed my arms over my chest.

"What the hell Saki, what does that have to do with anything!" She growled under her breath.

"If you paid any attention in Ms. Temari's science class last week you'd know that most bears thrash around in their sleep."

Ino drew in her eyebrows and again I waited while she processed this. Finally she tilted her head to the side and asked, "Really?"

I nodded, but really I was lying through my teeth. Hell, I had no idea whether bears moved in their sleep. And for that matter, who did? You'd have to climb into a cave with them to find out. And what if it woke up? Have you ever tried to wake me up on a Saturday before ten? Well imagine that but one hundred times worse.

"Saki stop spacing out!" Ino's high squeal brought me back from my thoughts. And it was then that I realized she was right next to me holding my home phone in her hand...and it was ringing. Jeez when I spaced out I missed out on a lot.

"Saki, It's Kiba." Ino hissed and my eyes shot open wide.

"What!" Suddenly I felt so nervous that I wanted to faint.

"Do want me to answer it and tell him that your on another date or something?" Ino's eyes seemed to gleam in excitement at this plan of hers.

"What? No! Give me!" I jerked the phone from her hands and clicked the TALK button before it went to voice mail.

"Hello." My voice sounded more nervous and small then I wanted, and suddenly I regretted answering the phone in the first place.

"Hey Sakura, It's Kiba."

"Yeah she has caller idea dumb ass." Ino muttered under her breath and that's when realized I put him on speaker….

"Can we talk?" Kiba asked and I looked to Ino for advice.

She put a finger in the air and grabbed a notepad and pen from the coffee table. Mom sat on the edge of the couch with an interested look to her face.

Ino held the note pad in front of my face and I read what she wrote.

_Make it quick I'm hanging with Ino. _Is what it wrote, and at first I was confused, until suddenly it hit me. Ino was feeding me my lines. Oh how I loved my bubble blonde friend.

"Make it quick." I said to him and glanced at Ino with an appreciative smile, "I'm hanging with Ino."


	3. Chapter 3 Girlfreinds?

**A/N- Thanks to all of my readers. If it wasn't for you I'd totally lose my ideas for this story. But for now I've got a steady flow. I wanted to say sorry for chapter 2, its all in italics and I have no idea why since I didn't put it that way. I'll try to change it, but I'm still so new to this site, I'm kind f confused how. So if any of you know how I would change that, I'd really like to now. Okay, so here we go**!

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

**Ch.3 Girlfriends**

_**Quote: "If you love something, let it go. If it comes back to you, its yours forever. If it doesn't, then it was never meant to be."**_

"Make it quick." I said to him and glanced at Ino with an appreciative smile, "I'm hanging with Ino."

"Your mad, aren't you." He sighed. "Look Saki-"

"Its Sakura." I interrupted, and I didn't need Ino's lines to do it.

"Okay...Sakura. I think I made a really big mistake."

Ino made a show of shoving her finger down her throat and my mom had to cup her hand over her mouth to keep from giggling.

"Oh." Was I could say. And Ino scribbled on the note pad real fast before turning it over so I could see. Quickly I read it over and playfully patted Ino on the head.

"To say you made a big mistake is an understatement Kiba." It read.

"I know, I know." He said. "It was a huge lapse of judgment."

"Lapse of judgment?" Ino scoffed and rolled her eyes while she scribbled on the notepad. Good thing she was used to writing notes at lightning speed or Kiba would have noticed the time it took me to reply.

"I'd say. Now if your done I'm getting off."

"Sakura I know your mad, but I'm going to make it up to you."

"Don't bother." Ino mouthed, she obviously was sick of the notepad and wanted to go a different way.

"Please Saki-"

"Kiba you have no right to call me that anymore." I shot back at him. Ino's lines were helpful, yes, but I had some things of my own to say to him. And mom's proud expression gave me the push I needed.

"Yeah sorry about that, I forgot." He muttered.

"Bull." I growled. "Now listen to me Kiba, and listen good because I'm not going to say it again." Ino seemed to be enjoying this more than I was. She was dancing on the tips of her feet like before and I knew if I wasn't on speaker phone she would be squealing her head off. Mom tilted her head to the side and smiled warmly at me, probably remembering a time in her life when she said the exact same thing.

"When we're in class, don't look at me. When we pass in the halls, don't talk to me. Because we are through." I pressed the End button on the phone and before I knew it I was being squeezed to death by the prettiest blonde in the world.

"Saki!" Ino squealed. "You handled that perfectly!"

I laughed and pried her arms from around my body. "And I'm not done there."

Mom watched as Ino and I shared a secret glance. "Okay girls, I'm a bit confused."

"Don't worry about it Mrs. Haruno. I don't either." Ino lied.

We headed up the stairs two at a time and whispered in hushed tones.

"Pink covers?"

"Fuck yes."

*-*-*-*-Abigail15-*-*-*-*

I wondered down the hair dye isle but wasn't really looking. No, my thoughts were elsewhere. Like what was Kiba doing right now? Was he regretting our break up even more. Or did had he just thought 'NEXT' and moved on. My lips pulled into a frown.

"Breaking up sucks." An old fragile voice said and I swirled around only to come face to face with a petite elderly woman with puffy white hair and a gleam in her eyes that looked nowhere near old.

"I'm sorry?" I asked, maybe I had just imagined it. Then why was she looking right at me?

"You heard me dear." She chuckled.

"Well yeah but-" I fidgeted on the tips of my feet uneasily. "How did you know?"

She shrugged and I found that I had to look down at her. Which was rare, I usually had to look up. Can't say I missed it.

"It's all over your face. But don't worry fruitcake. You'll find a new hunk soon."

Hunk…?

Fruitcake…?

I was about to say something back, anything would do. This woman was easy to talk to, I didn't know her well, but I knew that much. But before I could say anything, chimes went off at the front door and 'Old lady who's name I never learned' winked at me before heading back up front to greet the new customer.

I walked farther down the isle, silently laughing to myself, until I got to the far back. There, all up the walls her posters of pop stars with their hair colored and dyed all shades of colors. I never really thought I'd ever be in this part of the store. Not since I convinced myself to become gothic for Kiba. But this is where the Pink hair dye was. Now all that was left to decide was what shade of pink I wanted.

Decisions Decisions……

"Oh! And speaking of hunks!" I heard the old lady say up in front and a smile painted my face. I really would have to come by more often.

"Hello grandma." A deeper voice replied and I stole a glance behind my shoulders to see who it belonged to. Only I wasn't ready for what I was about to see. I mean if someone told me I would be dieing today…I would probably freak.

But right before my eyes stood one hell of an angel.

*-*-*-*-Abigail15Sage-*-*-*-*

The only thing I could really focus on was my heart beat. It was all I could hear.

"So what are you doing here Sasuke." Lady asked her grandson. I wasn't looking at them any more. The moment I did, I turned back around as fast as I could. Why? I couldn't tell you that. How could I when I didn't know myself.

All I knew was that his face, even from the side view, was gorgeous. It twisted my insides and suddenly I was a little eight year old again. The shy little Sakura Haruno who couldn't look any one in their eyes without stuttering. I thought I grew out of that stage. I guess I was wrong. Because this…Sasuke brought it rushing back so fast I couldn't catch my breath.

Sasuke….I loved that name. It sounded so noble and strong. Like a warrior.

I stared at Avril Lavigne's picture on the wall, with a pink streak down her bangs. But really all I saw was Sasuke.

"Why do you sound so surprised grandma." Sasuke chuckled and I found that I was smiling along with him. My back was to him, but I could already see it. His eyes lit up from a coal black to a dark blue and the entire room brightened up by so much. All because he smiled.

"Well you've been here for a week or so right? I figured if you haven't visited me yet then you never would." I stole another glance over my shoulder and watched as his grandmother crossed one foot behind the other and dared him to come up with a descent excuse.

"Well to be honest I didn't come here for the soul purpose of seeing you again."

Grandma, lifted her head and let out a laugh. Completely ignoring Sasuke's tone. "Why am I not surprised." She muttered. "But then why are you here Sasu'?"

I could tell Sasuke didn't like this new nickname she gave him. But to be honest, I absolutely loved it. It didn't fit him at all, no of course not. Sasu' was a name for a baby boy, and Sasuke was all man. But still, I like the way it felt as I whispered it to myself.

"I'm here for some black hair dye." He sighed.

"Aw." Grandma nodded, "For one of your girlfriends I presume."

My jaw dropped at grandma's comment. Girlfriends? As in more than one? Oh goddess, what did I get myself into?


	4. Chapter 4 Blue hair dye

A/N Okay guys. This is where my two favorite characters actually meet. Poor sakura is so innocent haha

well this is a longer chapter than usually. tell me if its to much and I'll find a way to chop it up into two chapters. As always thank you to my reviewers! But i also want to thank the people who put my story on their favorites! That's a huge energy booster and is why I was able to post 2 chapters in one day!

So a special thanks to these people for adding Why i dyed my hair pink to their favorites!

comeintherain

MizMizza

nassima123

SasuSakuKawai

*-*-*Abigail1Sage*-*-*

Ch.4 Blue Hair Dye

_**Quote: "If I had to choose between loving you, and breathing. I would use my last breath to say I Love You."**_

"I'm here for some black hair dye." He sighed.

"Aw." Grandma nodded, "For one of your girlfriends I presume."

My jaw dropped at grandma's comment. Girlfriends? As in more than one? Oh goddess, what did I get myself into?

*-*-*-*Abigail15*-*-*-*

"Oh Haruno you are so stupid." I growled under my breath. "Stupid. Stupid. Stupid."

I looked over the shades of colors. Green, Orange, Purple…blue. I tilted my head to the side and lifted the shade of blue from the shelf in a daze. It reminded me of Sasuke's eyes.

Then when I realized how stupid I was acting I shoved it back on the shelf and hugged myself uneasily. "Stupid." I reminded myself.

I had experience with guys like Sasuke. Kiba wasn't far off, I'm sure. At least I trusted Kiba enough to be fair to me. But if Sasuke's own grandmother knew about his…actions, then he must be one heck of a player.

And to think I was falling for someone just after one look. How shallow was I? It was obvious I was only interested in him because of his looks.

What I didn't get though was why? Sasuke was handsome, but…So what? That never mattered to me before. In fact Kiba was voted 'most appealing to the eyes' two years in a row and I never even gave him a second glance until I found out he volunteered at the animal shelter.

"Excuse me." I stiffened and stared at the shelf of hair dye in horror. I knew that voice. It was all I could think of two minutes ago.

I gulped down all the spit in my mouth and smiled over my shoulder nervously, "Um…yes?"

As if I needed any more proof that it was him, Sasuke stuck out his palm and smirked. **"**My names Sasuke Uchiha."

Uchiha? Sasuke Uchiha…Sakura Uchiha…two little babies, both boys looked like their father.

"Pleasure to me you." I replied and took his hand in mine. Only I couldn't look at his face. I knew if I did I'd probably start crying like I used to. Instead I stared at the leather band around his wrist. It had the initials K.U in them. And if I had the time, I would have wondered what it stood for.

"I was wondering…" He started and I slowly looked up into his eyes. They were so dark…whatever happened to those blue eyes that I swore I saw before. I suddenly missed them. These black eyes weren't smiling like his lips. "What shade of black your hair is."

"Huh?" I mumbled and immediately blushed crimson. Where was Ino's notepad and Pen when I really needed them?

"Your hair." He hinted. "My girlfriend wants to dye her hair black. The picture she showed me looks just like yours."

I took a step back and finally noticed that we never stopped holding hands. I glanced down at our hands and tugged lightly. He didn't let go.

"Umm it's this one over here." I said robotically and lead him to the left side of the store. Why wouldn't he let go?

Suddenly I remembered what was bothering me about him in the first place. And my red flag popped up with a giant P engraved in it's material. It stood for player, and I would not be played.

I tugged my hand from his harshly and sighed in relief. He let go and I continued to lead with my back towards him. If I just got passed this without totally making an idiot out of myself I'd be okay.

Just keep your guard up Sakura, I told myself.

"So this is it." I told him, lifting the familiar box that I bought for my own hair. As he reached for it though, I snapped the box back to my chest and said hastily, **"**But do me a favor and warn your girlfriend how annoying black hair is okay?" The word girlfriend came out from my lips like I was talking about terrorists. But I don't think he really noticed.

"Can do." He chuckled. "Is that why you were looking at that blue hair dye?"

I sucked in a breath. How long had he been standing behind me?

"Um well no. I mean I wasn't planning on dyeing my hair blue…"

He leaned his back against the wall and smirked. Right there and then I saw his eyes lighten. They weren't exactly smiling like I wished they would, but it was close enough.

"So what color were you thinking about then?" Was it just me or was he mocking me?

I leaned against the opposite wall and lifted my chin in the air stubbornly. "Why should I tell you."

That seemed to surprise him. In a flash I saw some emotion in his eyes that didn't touch his face. So far I had only seen it the other way around. Usually his lips would smile but his eyes wouldn't. Now his eyes were bright and light and cheerful. I had a feeling this was the real Sasuke.

"I mean-" I continued, only because I wanted to keep that smile in his eyes alive, " I barely know you."

"Well sure." He shrugged. "But what harm could I do?"

"I don't know…tell your grandmother over there to raise the prices."

He threw back his head and laughed. My insides melted and caught on fire at the sound of it. It was so light and beautiful, like a child at play for the first time in years.

"I wouldn't do that to you." He said and I rolled my eyes playfully.

"Sure you say that now but before you know it I'll be paying twice then what I should."

"No, you'll be doing that already." Sasuke's grandmother interrupted and Sasuke pushed himself off the wall. When I glanced over at him I almost wanted to yell in frustration. His smile was gone. Sure, it was on his lips but no where near his eyes.

"Darn." I muttered, but no one heard.

"Hello grandma." He muttered, not sounding very happy to see her at all. The feeling was mutual.

"Sorry." She smirked and I suddenly knew where Sasuke inherited it from. "Was I interrupting a romantic moment?"

"Hardly." Sasuke and I both spat at the same time and he glanced at me with a curious expression.

"To bad." His grandmother mused, then perked up. "Well dear did you find what you needed."

"Yes , he did." I answered for him and tossed the box of dye in the air. He caught it gracefully with one hand and I hid my amazement with a roll of my eyes.

"That's Grandma to you." She grinned at me and I bit back my own smile so that she didn't know how happy that one comment made me.

"But as for me-" I looked at Sasuke then back at…grandma. "I'm still looking. So I'll be back there." I jerked my thumb behind my shoulder and took a couple of steps back.

"I'll help you." Sasuke caught my hint and followed me around the corner.

We didn't fool grandma for one minute though. I heard her giggle and say "I'm finally going to be a great grandmother!"

"She's very nice." I whispered truthfully over my shoulder and he sighed.

"More or less. But I find she's too forward at times."

"Forward how?" I pretended to look over the shades of hair dye but really I was all in tuned to what he would say next.

"Never mind." He sighed and I bit my lip disappointed. "So pink huh?"

I looked over at him surprised. "How did you know?"

"It's the only color besides blue that you picked up." He shrugged. If only he knew the real reason I picked up the blue in the first place.

"I can't say I like the idea though." He said more to himself then to me, then offered "Why not red instead."

I scoffed, "Figures."

He leaned his shoulder on the shelf beside me and I tried not to notice how close he was. I could feel his breath on my cheek.

Guard up Sakura, I shouted to myself.

"Red is my natural color." I said sparing him a glace and blushed at that smirk of his. I tossed my hair over my shoulders so that he wouldn't see.

"And besides-" I said reaching for a bright, almost neon shade on the top shelf, "I'm dyeing my hair pink for a specific reason." I stood on the tips of my toes but I still couldn't reach the shade I wanted. Darn my mother and her petite body. Why couldn't I be tall like daddy? Oh yeah, because then I'd be happy.

"And that is?" Sasuke pressed, reaching up for the hair dye and pulling it down without breaking a sweat. Oh sure, he gets to be tall **and **sexy! But I get to be neither. Pouting to myself I snatched the dye from his hands and sneered, "None of your business."

"Why are you so against me knowing stuff about you, huh?" He leaned his head down so that his mouth was right at my ear. "Do I have to guess everything about you like I did with the pink?"

"Well I…you…" PLAYER SAKURA!

I swirled around and glared up at him. "Let me answer that with another question Uchiha?" He blinked down at me surprised.

"If I just told you everything then where would the mystery be?"

The first minute went by pretty fast. I was so worked up with all these emotions I hardly even noticed that no one was saying anything. We were just staring at each other, so close that if I wanted to, all I had to do was lift on the tips of my feet and press my lips to his. And even more exciting, all he had to do was lean down.

Then, like a fart ruining the perfect romantic moment, my cell phone rang from my back pocket. And I sighed taking a step back.

"I've got to take this." I mumbled pressing the TALK button. "What is it Ino."

"Oh nothing, just bored." She replied and I could hear the Jonas brothers album playing in the background. I sighed tiredly.

"Okay, do you want to dye my hair tonight?" I asked and refused to look over at the man beside me. But I didn't have to, to know that he hadn't stopped looking at me. That was good….right? I wanted to ask the expert of all things men since she was already on the phone, but I couldn't since the man of all men was standing right beside me.

"Oh you got the dye?"

"Uhuh.." I felt so drained, maybe because Sasuke was so hard to keep up with. Or maybe I just didn't get much sleep last night. Was I tired before? I really couldn't recall anything before Sasuke.

"Great. Come right over! My moms' out on a date so it'll be just us."

"Kay." I said and finally looked up at Sasuke. "I'll be right over. Bye."

-*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*-*

I rested my chin in my hands as I sat on the edge of the bath tube, waiting for Ino to set everything up. My energy hadn't returned, but Ino was so hyped up that it didn't matter. She just talked and talked and talked some more. I only needed to mutter a response here and there.

But even as she went on and on about how stupid Kiba was going to feel in school on Monday, I wasn't listening. Instead I replayed all that had happened at the hair shop. The Uchiha hair shop….

"My names Sasuke Uchiha."

.

.

"But do me a favor and warn your girlfriend how annoying black hair is okay?"

.

.

"Can do. Is that why you were looking at that blue hair dye?"

.

.

"I wouldn't do that to you."

.

.

"That's Grandma to you."

.

.

"Red is my natural color."

.

.

"If I just told you everything then where would the mystery be?"

"Hey Saki?" Ino peeked into the bathroom. Her hair was out from her ponytail and it almost reached down to her hips. "I get why you bought the pink hair dye but why the blue?"

"Huh?" I looked up from the floor in surprise, and there in her hands were both the pink hair dye and the Sasuke blue. In the daze that I was in I didn't even know I bought it.

I dropped my face in my hands and groaned.

Your in deep Sakura!


	5. Chapter 5 Drop dead gorgeous

**Hey thanks to everybody who reads this! It means a lot. I known I'm no Stephanie Meyer, but I'm only fifteen and I'm definitely working on it. Ha ha =)**

**Ps. I changed the summary for this story. Don't worry, the plot hasn't changed, I just thought this new summary would attract more readers!**

**I do not own naruto…poop**

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

Ch.5 Drop dead gorgeous

_**Quote: "I Love you, not for what you are, but for what I am when I'm with you."**_

I stepped into the shower while Ino waited in her bedroom. Probably watching MTV or something along those lines. We had done everything exactly as told on the back of the pink hair dye box, so if I end up with a sick green shade I swear I'm suing.

"Saki I think you should be done rinsing by now." I heard her through the shower curtain. Weird since I swore I locked the door. "Come on out."

"No way." I called back, running my fingers through my damp hair. "It's not all out yet."

"Your such a bad liar Sakura." I could see her shadow through the shower curtain, her hands were on her hips stubbornly. "Your just scared to see what it looks like."

"And what if I am?" I snapped. "I'm going from black to pink! That's pretty scary you know."

"Stop trying to distract me Saki. You can only live in my shower for so long."

"I don't know." I mused. "It's kind of cozy in here."

"That's it Saki." Ino's hand came through the shower curtain and gripped my elbow.

I gasped, "Jeez Ino." Then smiled devilishly,. "Who knew you were so eager to touch me that way."

"Ew!" Ino snapped back her hand and I threw back my head in a laugh. I knew that would work. Ino was so homo-phobic it was ridiculous!

"Come out of the shower Sakura. I want to see." Ino whined.

"Do you now…" I smirked as she gagged on her spit.

"Stop being so nasty Sakura. I want to see your hair!" She screeched and then muttered under her breath how annoyingly perverted her best friend was.

"Fine." I sighed. " I'll be out in like…another hour." I continued to torture her as she growled. And yes, I really mean growled. Ino could be so weird sometimes.

"That's it Saki, you totally asked for this." She said in a weird tone, and I pursed my lips, confused.

"What's that supposed to me? Oh my god, INO!" I screeched as the water turned from luke warm to freezing cold. In the background you could hear Ino flush the toilet over and over again.

I jumped out of the shower and grabbed the nearest towel to wrap around my body.

"Sometimes I really hate you Ino." I muttered, and waited for her usual comeback. One that would make me want to laugh with her. But instead I got nothing.

It was quiet…to quiet. (Sorry, I just always wanted to say that.)

"What? Nothing to say." I sneered and turned to look her in the eyes. But instead of the smug smirk I was expecting, Ino's face was frozen in shock.

"Your scarring me here Ino. Are you having a stroke?" I snickered, then took another look at her. This time more seriously. And as she continued to just stare I felt my heart accelerate.

Slowly Ino defrosted and a huge smile replaced her gapping mouth. "Saki, babe, look in the mirror." She said while she tried to contain her excitement.

I rolled my eyes and slowly walked to the bathroom mirror. But I obviously wasn't going fast enough, since Ino gripped my shoulders and pushed me forward.

"You know Ino, violence is never the answer." I pouted over my shoulder. But she just waved her hand, with a "Yeah yeah, whatever. Now look!"

I did as I was told and muttered under my breath how pushy she was. I was about to tell her their were group classes to help her with that, but instead, as I caught my reflection in the mirror, I fought to stay awake. Never once had I wanted to pass out from happiness. But there was always a first time for everything, right?

After a month of looking in the mirror and seeing a black haired Goth girl, this was almost to big of a change to handle. My hair, still pretty damp hung to my mid back. But that wasn't the change that I was talking about. This new shade of pink wasn't neon or bubble gum pink. It was more of a gentle pink. A soothing color that brightened up my face by one hundred percent. I mean, who knew my eyes could shine like that?

"Kiba is going to be so pissed." Ino squealed.

"Uhuh..."

That was the plan from the very beginning, I could still remember that. But more than anything, the moment I say my image in the mirror I thought…Sasuke. And how much I desperately wanted to show him. It didn't make much sense, since I only just met him. But nothing about my feelings for the Uchiha was really all that normal. It's not normal to drool at the mere sight of a man's face. It's not normal to want to make a man you only just met, smile. It's not normal to buy a extra shade of color just because it reminds you of him.

I ran my fingers through my hair and finally beamed at the pink haired beauty starring back at me. That's right, I said beauty! Hell, I was drop dead gorgeous. It was so weird, to have so much confidence all of a sudden.

I could get used this this new me.

*-*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*-*-*

After an hour of squealing and twirling hair and squealing some more, Ino finally let me head home. Now don't get me wrong, I had just as much fun straightening my hair and picking out the perfect outfit for tomorrow at school. But at the same time, no matter how cute I felt or looked, I was no Ino. I would never die for a pair of shoes, and I most definitely would never, and I mean never, get in a cat fight over a pair of half price earrings.

By the time I left the sun had already gone down and the moon was at its full glory.

"Your insane Saki." Ino sighed. "It's just not safe for a girl to walk home all alone. Especially in the dark. Just let me drive you home."

"No way. I want to look at the moon for awhile." I protested heading out the door.

" Stick your head out the car window then!" Ino threw her hands up in the air, exasperated.

"Not the same." I said over my shoulder, by now I was on the sidewalk and a few houses away.

Ino sighed tiredly and shook her head from side to side. "Your so stubborn" I heard her say and I smiled to myself.

*-*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*-*

Okay, so maybe walking home all alone when it was pitch dark outside was a stupid idea, I thought warily and hugged my body tightly. It wasn't that I was scared or anything, It was just so darn cold!

Shivering I hugged the coat that Ino threw at me since I refused to take up her offer on a ride home. I would have to call her to thank her, oh and to assure I was still in one piece. Sometimes I think she still looks at me as the cry baby eight year old I was when we first met. The little girl who was taunted, teased and beat up on, just for her looks.

I shook my head miserably. Kids were so cruel. I knew that better than anyone. And I still probably would if it wasn't for Ino and her spunky attitude. Once we befriended each other the kids at school teased me less and less until it finally just stopped. Somewhere in that period of time I broke out from my shell and was able to talk to people without wanting to run away and hide. Then at some point I was able to not just talk, but also flirt. And flirt well, thank you very much.

I remember the day Kiba really made his intentions clear. That he was interested in little old me and wanted me as his girlfriend. When he asked me out I played it cool and acted calm, but really inside I was dancing like Lee at the spring dance. Wild and a little off beat.

Now that I look back on it, he wasn't even all that romantic about it. I mean he had asked me with hamburger still in his mouth.

I shuddered at the memory. Good thing that stage in my life was over and done with. And now that I was in the fresh air, under the moon, I had to really ask myself if I was really all that sad about Kiba and I braking up?

No, I wasn't.

I was more surprised, I mean, do you think I would die my hair black if I didn't think it was going to last?

I walked across the street quickly, almost braking into a jog since a motorcyclist was waiting for me to pass so he could go. I always hated that. The pressure I mean. It seemed like the distance from one side of the road stretched on for miles, when really it was only a few yards long. It was just weird, I could tell (even through this guys dark helmet that covered his face) he was watching.

I let out a relived sigh when my feet left the asphalt behind and landed on cement. But I had only taken two, maybe three steps before a beautifully familiar voice called my name over the bikes engine.

"Sakura." I swirled around to face the voice.

No, it couldn't be…could it? My eyes automatically lowered to the man's wrist, and there was that leather band.

I narrowed my eyes and took a wary step towards him, "Uchiha?"

He let out a low throaty laugh and cut off the ignition before lifting the helmet off his head. His bangs stuck up playfully and I couldn't help but giggle at the sight. He looked more like a child on his dad's motorcycle. Just for the fun of it. But then that strong curve in his face, and those deep dark eyes looked anything but childish.

He lifted a eyebrow at me, "And your laughing at me why?"

"Sorry." I covered my mouth with the tips of my fingers and took a few bold steps toward him.

Part of me screamed "What are you doing Sakura! Get back, Danger Danger!" But another part of me, the part that reached out to tame his hair was saying "What the hell Sakura. Go for it."

When his hair looked half way decent I tucked my hands under my arms pits and shivered. Not from the cold, but from his stare. He had made little effort to stop me from touching him, but it was only a small flinch. Then as my fingers grazed his forehead he seemed to melt in my touch.

"Thanks." He smirked and shook his head like a wet dog. His bangs flew in all directions and when he was done his hair stuck up in all directions. Much worse than before. "Now fix it again."

I rolled my eyes, "Sorry no can do." Then took a step back to put some distance between us. Suddenly feeling week and shy again.

Then something hit me that I hadn't noticed before. Probably to much in shock at the time to even care. He had called my name before. But I had never once told him my name.

"How did you know my name?" I narrowed my eyes at him and he smiled back at me sheepishly, like a little kid getting caught with eating cookies just before dinner.

"I might have looked over your shoulder as you wrote your name on the check you gave to grandma."

"Might?" My lips pooled into a frown. After all it was a complete evasion of privacy. But really, inside, I was trying to control a smile from braking on my face. He had cared enough to snoop. That had to mean something right?

"Okay." He sighed and held his hands in front of his chest, palms up. "There was no 'might' about it. I peeked at your check."

He watched as I fake frowned and he shrugged, "Its your fault for not telling me your name in the first place…Pinkette."

I blinked slowly, shut…open. "Pinkette?"

"Yeah." He smiled, or was that a smirk. I really couldn't tell in the dark. "I think it fits you."

"I…you…thanks." I finally let out a sigh. "Tell…uh…grandma how well it turned out for me okay?" And with that I turned on my heels. What was wrong with me?

From the moment he mentioned my hair, I immediately remembered why we had met in the first place. He had gone to the hair shop for some black hair dye…for his girlfriend. Or one of them anyway.

"Idiot." I chastised myself softly so that he wouldn't hear.

"Wait!" He called but I just ignored him as I continued to walk.

"Idiot. Stupid idiot."

"Sakura!" The way he called my name, as if he desperately needed me to turn around, shocked me. I stopped in my tracks, and sucked in a breath.

"Don't do it Sakura." I warned myself. But it didn't do any good, since I was already heading back over to him. Why was I so week? The first sign of a none player action and I came running back.

"Look Sasuke," I said crossing my arms over my chest. "I'm sorry about that, but I really need to get back home."

"You sure your not scared of me?" That tone from before that had me running back was gone. All that was there now was a mocking tone, and I inwardly sighed. Of course it was gone, in fact, he had probably purposely used it for his own advantage. Were players good actors? I really didn't know, since I had no experience in the area.

That's it, I thought to myself, next time Ino offers a ride you take it!


	6. Chapter 6 Flying

_**Hey guys! I'm so sad right now becuz I accidentally deleted this story. Like every chapter! Now how on earth did I do that! Haha, Well any way, I lost all my reviews and that kind of sucks since I liked them so much. (sigh) Well don't worry, I'll live. And I had all the chapters on back up, so nothing was lost. Thank god! Since I can never right the same chapter twice and still think it rose to my expectations.**_

_*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*_

_Ch.6 Flying_

_**Quote: 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder ." William Shakespeare **_

Why on earth is this happening to me?

"Why? Oh I don't know? Maybe because I'm a gentleman." Sasuke answered and I could already see that arrogant smirk forming on his lips. Had I said that out loud?

"Stop smirking." I spat over my shoulder, "Its creeping me out."

He scoffed, "You know most girls would kill for a ride home with me."

"Ha!" I sped up my pace, "I'm not most girls Uchiha. Its best you realize that."

"Oh I have." He muttered under his breath.

"Excuse me?" I swirled around and he hit his brakes. "What's that supposed to mean?"

The wind blew his hair to the side and I had that intense urge to see if he'd let me fix it again. But I kept my arms crossed and my chin lifted stubbornly.

Everything about tonight was going so strangely. For one, I met Sasuke again. Here out on the streets, of all places. Then when I finally forced myself to start walking again he started to follow me. Yes you heard me right. He was riding his motorcycle, as slow as it went, beside me while I sped walked home. Well not anymore. Now he was shrugging off his coat and throwing it at my head.

I caught it with both hands then eyed him suspiciously. "And your stripping because?"

He rolled his eyes, "Just put it on Pinkette. Your entire body's shivering."

I balled the coat up before chucking it back at him. "Stop calling me that."

"No." He smiled and leaned forward, "I like it."

"Well I don't, so stop." I growled. Part of me wanted him to keep leaning until he flopped head first off the bike.

"It's a free country pinkette." He said matter-of-factly.

"Then go find a voting booth or something." My jaw was held tight in annoyance. But no matter how much this guy bugged me I couldn't ignore the way his eyes glowed a dark blue in the moon. Or the way he unconsciously played with the leather band around his wrist.

"And miss a chance to argue to you?" His voice snapped me from my daydreams. "Hell no." I could here the smirk in his voice and it was seriously starting to annoy me. Who was he anyway? Saying things like that. He had a girlfriend didn't he? Grandma Uchiha let that cat out of the bag a long time ago. And I was trying my absolute hardest to remember that….

He was a big fat player. And he was obviously trying to fool me with his deep dark eyes and handsome smirk…

"So how did she like it." I forced myself to stop thinking of all the good things about Sasuke and focus on the bad. I asked myself, what would Ino do. And I could almost picture her with her hands on her hips saying, "Make him squirm Saki!"

Sasuke tilted his head to the side and I wanted to grab his cheeks and nuzzle his nose with mine. He looked so cute when he was confused…

Stop that! I thought angrily, Slap yourself!

"Your girlfriend." I clued him in and his mouth popped open with a silent 'aw' before smirking at something I didn't know about.

"She's slightly pissed off at me for giving her regular black hair dye instead of dazzling black." We starred at each other in the eyes for a few quiet seconds before I finally broke the silence and threw back my head in a laugh.

"Your kidding? What's the difference?" I asked between giggles.

He shrugged, "That's what I said, but evidently dazzling black gives off more of a shine."

"Oh wow Sasuke." I started to walk again, this time not really caring when he started up the engine again and followed. "You sure no how to pick 'em."

"Don't be jealous pinkette." His comment sent a gallon of blood racing for my face and I thanked goddess that it was almost pitch dark outside. I was about to deny it, and tell him how delusional he was. But then again that would be lying…

I really was jealous, I wasn't in any kind of denial about that. Suddenly an idea struck me and I let Sasuke's smirk form on my own lips. Like it was contagious.

I clasped my hands behind my back and gazed up at the moon with a thoughtful expression, "So what if I am?"

I hid my smile as I watched his eyes slightly widen from my side vision. It was gone faster than it came, but I had caught it.

"I mean…" I paused and shrugged, "You are sort of…god like."

"You think so?" He smirked and the pride in his voice was clearly audible.

"Oh yeah." I turned my head away from him the slightest bit, pretending to act bashful. But really I did it so I could roll my eyes without ruining my charade. I couldn't hardly believe how easy it was to trick him. This kind of thing must happen to him all the time.

"You really are the perfect man." I pretended to swoon, then suddenly stopped in my tracks. He hit the brakes and looked at me, confused.

"Pinkete?"

I slowly stepped off the sidewalk and onto the road next to his bike.

"Yes Sasuke." I purred and leaned in so that our lips merely grazed against each other. I knew I was faking, I knew it, but I still felt a shiver run down my spine. Like an electric shock had gone through me. That had never happened with Kiba…

Sasuke's grip on the handle bars tightened, and I smiled slyly as I wrapped one hand around his neck. Never, not once since I met him, had I thought I'd ever have him at my mercy like this.

Maybe I could call myself the player slayer. Or maybe not since that was kind of gay…but still.

"Pinkete…what are you doing?" Sasuke's tone was low and husky as I leaned my forehead onto his.

"Oh you know…" I ran one hand down his chest and back up again. "Just fooling your ass."

That seamed to snap him out of it and he straightened up like he had been shocked. I threw back my head in laughter and dodged out of the way when he tried to whip my side with his coat.

"Not funny." He growled and glared at the ground. He looked like a spoiled little boy who wouldn't be able to watch his favorite TV show that day. Which, of course, only made me want to laugh at him even more.

Never, not even with Kiba, had I ever been able to laugh so freely with a guy before. Can't say I didn't like it. I wrapped my arms over my stomach and doubled over as he continued to glare daggers at me.

"Hn, your going to wake up the whole city with that annoying laugh of yours." He growled.

"Stop pouting Sasuke and laugh with me."

"Why would I laugh?" He retorted.

I sighed, "Because it was funny."

"Your definition of funny is different from mine then."

"Okay, I'm sorry" I brought my hands up defensively, "How can I make it up to you."

"Hmmm." He pretended to think about it, but I already knew the answer. How stupid was I? I mean, I totally just gave him an opening.

"Let me drive you home." My mouth popped open in surprise. I had thought he would tell me I'd have to kiss him, or something along those lines. Part of me had wanted him to.

I eyed the motorcycle with a hint of fear in my eyes. Apparently he saw it and he let out a chuckle. "You'll be perfectly safe Pinkette."

I bit my lip, "Yeah that's what everybody thinks at first. But the next thing you know their face is completely smashed in and way beyond repair."

He held out his hand to me and I gave him a look that asked 'do you really think I'm going to take it?'

But he retorted with a roll of his eyes and said, "You owe me Pinkete."

I narrowed my eyes at him, "I could die."

"Trust me, you'll be safe. I swear."

"Again back to the 'at first' thing." But I edged closer to him. Was I seriously considering this?

"You don't have to worry about your face with this." He shoved his helmet to my chest and I warily held it in my hands, like it was crystal ball and if I held it wrong I would be cursed with smelly arm pits for a year.

"Please Pinkete?" He gave me a look, one he never showed to me before and I inwardly cursed the goddess responsible for making him so undeniably handsome.

"I…you…but… oh fine." I finally sighed. This was it, I was going to ride on the back of a human death machine. And to top it off I had let myself be pier pressured into it.

"But if we get in an accident-" Sasuke interrupted me with a laugh, one that made his eyes shine with a billion smiles. It was like that candle I was talking about before. Even though I could hardly see, his smile brightened the world a little bit. Enough for me to climb on the back of the bike. Then wrap my arms around his body so that my fingers were clenched tight on the fabric over his chest.

"I'm just saying if I die, my dad is so going to sue your buttocks off."

He snickered, and even though I couldn't see his face, I knew he was smirking.

"Thanks for the warning." He chuckled and revved the engine. I squeaked and buried my face to his back. If I wasn't so terrified I probably would have recognized his cologne. It was that new Tim McGraw sent. I bought Kiba the exact same stuff since I loved it so much, but he refused to wear it.

"It's disgusting shit Sakura." He had whined and I ended up taking it back. I remember being so mad at him, it was so not 'disgusting shit!' Just another thing about Kiba that I didn't miss what so ever!

"Oh my god slow down!" I screamed.

"What are you talking about? We haven't even gone yet." He looked at me from over his shoulder like I was demented and I peeked out from his shirt warily.

"Wow. That's weird." We hadn't moved one inch. Could that really all of been my imagination?

"Uhuh…" Sasuke nodded, "You really are a spas"

"I am not a spas." I growled. "I'm just slightly freaking out is all."

"Slightly?" He scoffed, "Just don't pass out or anything. I really wouldn't want your dad to sue my 'buttocks off' like you said."

He was making fun of me, I knew that much. But I still clung to him with everything I had.

"Put on the helmet." He ordered over his shoulder and I glared at his back, to bad he didn't see it.

"You cant tell me what to do Sasuke. Like you said it's a free country and-"

He revved the engine and I hastily shoved the helmet over my head. "Was that really necessary?" I yelled and felt him shrug in my arms.

"Ready?" He asked as he revved the engine twice. I was beginning to think he was just doing that because he knew it scared me. What a jerk. What an arrogant, spoiled, handsome jerk.

"As ready as I'll ever be." I told him and tightened my arm's grip on him. This was it! Oh goddess watch over Ino when I'm gone!

"That's my girl." I heard him say and my face flooded with blood. His girl? But what about dazzling black? What ever happened to her?

But I didn't have time to contemplate on that for very long because the bike jerked forward and before I knew it we were off.

I screamed in terror and shut my eyes tight. "I'm going to die!"

"Stop acting so scared Sakura. I've been driving these things since I was fourteen."

I gasped, which was a mistake since my eyes popped open in surprise as I did. "How is that even possible?" I asked.

"I've always looked older than my age. I think of it as a blessing." Was it just me or did I know exactly when he would smirk?

"Isn't that illegal though? What about your license?" My voice didn't hide my hysteria one little bit, and I think this amused him even more. Again I repeat…JERK!

"Ever heard of fake permits Pinkete?"

Oh jeez, not only was he a player who road monsters for a vehicle, but now he was a criminal too?

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked, "For all you know I could turn you into the authorities."

There was a moment of silence as he thought about this, "Because I trust you."

I blinked a couple pf times, while I processed this. And as I did my entire body flooded with happiness to the point where I felt light headed. I hugged myself to his body and smiled to myself.

PLAYER! I screamed, but this time ignored.

We raced through the streets so fast and smoothly that it began to feel like we were flying! It was an amazing feeling and as I slowly started to loosen up, I let myself enjoy things. Things like the warmth from Sasuke's body and how even in the chilling air I felt comfortable. Things like the way I could feel his heart beat under my palm, and even hear if I tried hard enough.

Why had I been so afraid of motorcycles again? Oh yeah…they were dangerous. But with Sasuke driving I couldn't help but feel safe. And even more surprisingly…I felt we weren't going fast enough.

"Sasuke?" I called over his shoulder, it had gotten so quiet. Both of us just enjoying the ride.

"I'm not slowing down Pinkete." He answered and I giggled.

"No actually I was hoping you'd go faster!" I told him.

I could here the surprise in his voice as he spoke, "Are you serious."

"Yeah I am."

There was a few seconds of nothing but the sound of the bike until he chuckled. "Can do."

He hit the accelerator and we picked up speed faster than I ever thought we could. I let out another scream, but this time not in terror, but in adrenaline. I unwrapped one arm around his waist and reached my hand up in the air like during a rollercoaster ride.

"See? I told you there was nothing to it!" He commented.

My laughter mixed with his, and I can honestly say I had never felt so free in my entire life.

"Take this road up here." I pointed and he nodded without a word.

"It's the white house up here with the giant oak tree." I gave him my instructions and waited for my house to come into view. And when it did I almost passed out all together from shock…and fear.

Because there, parked next to my mothers red bug was a silver Volvo. A car I haven't seen in the driveway for one whole month.

"Oh my god!" I gasped. "It's my dad! If he sees me on this thing with you he'll have a heart attack." That's if he doesn't kill me first, I thought in a panic. If I had any idea that he would be home…well lets just say I wouldn't of left Ino's house.

"Do you want me to drive passed it?" He offered and I gasped for air. I didn't even know I was holding it in until how. "Yes!"

He nodded and picked up the speed. I'm sure mom and dad would hear it's engine from inside the house. I wonder what they would do if they knew their only daughter was on it?

"I'm sorry!" I yelled over the engine.

"Don't be." He said. "This way I can take you on a proper date."

I smiled to myself and nodded, "I'd like that."


	7. Chapter 7 Sneak in

**Hey guys! Thanks for reading. But (and I promised myself I wouldn't do this) I want reviews! I'll be honest, I kind of lose motivation when the reviews stop coming. Yeah I know, I'm spoiled and a whiner…but how can I tell if people like my story if no ones reviewing??**

**Don't worry, I haven't forgotten the people who do review, and I just wanted to say thank you for that!**

*-*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*-*

Ch.7 Sneak in

_**Quote: "To the world you are one person, but to one person you are the world."**_

Oh Sakura…your in deep poop! Oh yeah I said it. Poop! Your literally trapped in it!

"So why are you so afraid of your dad?" Sasuke asked tilting his head to the side to look in my eyes, and I looked up to gaze into his. Oh wow, they were so dark and deep and…

Poop Sakura! Get out of the poop!

"Oh you know…" I decided to stare at the road instead of his eyes. This way I wouldn't turn into Ino in her mating season…oh I just had the worst mental picture ever! Eww, god Sakura eww!

"Your not very talkative tonight are you?" Sasuke interrupted my thoughts and for once I was glad he did.

"No I guess not." I shrugged.

"I really do make you nervous huh?" He smirked like he was proud of this, and I rolled my eyes.

"You wish."

He smiled at me, a real smile.

"Keep your eyes on the road Sasuke." I grumbled, burring my head in his shoulder blade so that he wouldn't see my blush. Because even though the helmet was pitch black, I had lifted the visor earlier so that I could feel the wind on my cheeks.

We passed all the other cars on the highway. First the Chevy then the Charger. Normally this would bother me. Terrify me even. I mean, most of these cars were going fifty at the least. And yet we were still speeding passed every single on of them.

"How fast are you going?" I asked over his shoulder and he tilted his head so that our cheeks brushed over each others. I blushed but didn't pull back.

"We're" He corrected me, "going fast enough to make you freak"

I scowled, "I wont freak out."

"Yes you will." He chuckled as we passed by a pink convertible filled with collage girls in bikinis. I might add that almost all of those girls had big fat boobies that couldn't of been real. How the hell could they even be wearing bathing suites in this weather? It was freezing! If Sasuke hadn't pulled over a few miles back and literally forced me to wear his coat over Ino's, I would of froze to death..

"Hey baby." The driver yelled. She had to, since we were on the highway and the wind would have drowned out her voice otherwise. But I didn't think that was why she was so loud. I caught a glimpse of an empty beer can in her lap.

"Your cute." The passenger slurred, leaning across the red head driver, drunkenly starring at Sasuke.

Part of me wanted to pull off my helmet and shove it on his head instead, that way they couldn't look at him any more. Either that or chuck it right at their intoxicated faces. Option two sounded more fun.

"Hey! Your girlfriend's got Pink hair! I can show you another part of my body that's pink."

I watched Sasuke carefully. To see what his expression would be. And when I caught that familiar smirk on his lips a wave of jealousy-that I couldn't explain-washed over me. I would probably be oozing green if that were possible.

Before I knew what I was doing I held my hand out toward them and flicked the woman-and her fake boobs-off.

I didn't know what it was that made me throw back my head and laugh. Maybe it was the woman's reaction. She let out gasp and glared at my covered head. Or maybe it was Sasuke's own loud laughter. Either way, I had gotten my point across as Sasuke and I sped passed them.

"Before you say anything-" I shouted over his shoulder, "That was a once in a life time thing."

"You don't have to explain yourself to me Pinkete."

"No I think I do! Because I didn't do that for you."

We cut across a viper and within seconds he was gone from view. Weren't Vipers supposed to be fast? Then why the heck were we blowing them all way?

"Oh really?" Sasuke smirked as I eyed the viper behind us. Where the heck did it go?

"I did it because they were intoxicated while driving. Someone had to let them know they were wrong!" I didn't need Sasuke to say anything for me to know just how utterly pathetic that had sounded. Show them their wrong doing? Really Sakura?

"Okay." He shrugged.

"Okay? Okay what?"

"Okay, I'll believe that." But I knew just as well as he did that he was just teasing me.

*-*-*-*Abigail15Meeker*-*-*-

Call me a crazy, but I never thought I'd ever go on a date with Sasuke Uchiha. And especially not at a Mexican Restaurant. No offence to all the chunky tacos and fried beans out there, but it just didn't match. I mean when I think Uchiha, I think cool and refined. Like a coffee shop or a country club. Heck! Even a ball room decked out with pretty people didn't seem that far off. But this? This didn't match up at all.

"La Hacienda?" I asked, sliding off my helmet-blacked with a tinted visor-and balanced it on the seat in front of me. Was I supposed to chain it up somewhere? Like a dog? I mean, the helmet would just be sitting there. Any one could steal it and we would never know until we came back out.

I glanced at Sasuke but he was already at the entrance, completely unworried, and holding the door open for me.

"What about the helmet?" I asked as we entered the restaurant. He came in behind me and I could feel his presence almost absolutely.

"What about it?" He asked as we waited in line to be seated. I couldn't believe how busy this place was. Mexican food was greasy and nasty and smelled funny. Why would anyone want to go here, of all places, and spend their hard worked money?

Of course I never asked Sasuke this? I mean, I was to deep in thought as I glanced behind my shoulders and through the glass doors. I could see Sasuke's bike through them, and most importantly the helmet. Sorry to say, but that helmet was my life line. Without it, no matter how fun, I was not getting back on that bike. Hell would have to freeze over before I even considered it.

"Sasuke Uchiha." Sasuke's thoughts brought me back to the Restaurant as he spoke to the hostess.

"It'll be just a few minutes." Our hostess was pretty, but in a fake way. Was she related to any of those collage girls? I wouldn't put it passed her.

I was worried about my helmet. But not enough to miss the look the woman gave to Sasuke. She looked at him from the side and tilted her head…Total come on head!

Oh don't make me sick lady!

I grabbed Sasuke's wrist, overlapping his wristband, and dragged him back outside so we could wait there. Because one, the smell was seriously starting to get to me. And two, I had experienced a wave of jealousy that I had never felt before. Not once. Even that feeling I had back on the road with the fake boobies, didn't compare. And that bothered me.

"You've got quit a grip Pinkete." He complimented, with a smirk on his lips as he rubbed his wrist. "Didn't think you had it in you."

"Are you saying you thought I'd be weak?" I asked, plopping into one of the benches and inhaled the fresh air. I wonder if Sasuke would mind if we ate out here…were we even aloud?

"No, I'm just saying I didn't think you'd be strong."

"That's the same thing." I brought my knees up on the bench and wrapped my arms around them.

"Not really."

I stared up at him stupidly as he sat beside me and rested his forearms on his knees. Behind him were a row of pink rose bushes, and all I could think was how much I wanted him to pick one for me.

I sighed and hid the frown on my lips from him. The last thing I wanted was this…whatever this was. Where was my will power? I knew the answer to that even as I asked myself the question. My will power had been brushed off like dust. The broom had been Sasuke's deep dark eyes. Sasuke's smirk and even more than anything else, his smile. But that was only a part of it. He also brought about a. aura of mystery and it pulled me in more than any of his looks ever could.

"So out of all the places in town, why'd you pick here?" I asked.

"You looked like a taco kind of girl." He said Matter-of-factly.

"Taco?" Wow…

"Yeah you know, lettuce, tomato, cheese-"

"I know what a taco is!"

"You do now…"

I bit the inside of my cheek so that I wouldn't say anything I would end up regretting. "_Breathe in and out Saki" _I could almost hear Ino say, _"Now use your nice words."_

"Well you've got one thing wrong." I shrugged.

"Oh, your more of a Enchilada kind of girl?" He cocked his head to the side innocently. Was that just an act? Or did he really think that every girl was branded in some Mexican dish kind of way?

"Actually I'm more of Pizza girl." I smiled triumphantly. I had stumped him, I just knew it.

But he didn't even hesitate, "Aw Italian."

"_Yeah how do you like that!" _I thought to myself.

He shrugged with a "close enough" and left me pondering how to smash my head against the brick wall WITHOUT passing out.

"I swear, you have gone your entire life without anyone ever telling you that you were wrong." I muttered and shook my head sympathetically.

"What's with that tone?" He asked with a small smirk on his face. As if he was expecting this reaction from me. Had he known I didn't like Mexican food? Or was I just imagining things?

"Tone?" I played dumb, "I don't have a tone."

"Your probably good at lying with everybody else, but not with me." His lips quirked into an arrogant smirk and I imagined running over his head with his bike. That thought came and went fast, as another thought came into focus.

What if he wasn't just talking about only my tone? What if he's implying something else? Maybe I was looking to much into it, but still. Maybe, deep down he knew that I was falling for him. Maybe, just maybe, my efforts were useless.

That made me nervous. And when I finally noticed that I hadn't answered him I said the first thing that came to mind.

"Yeah? Well I seemed to be pretty convincing back there." I jerked my thumb over my shoulder just so I had something to do with my hands. Because if I didn't, I was afraid I would run my fingers through his hair again. Even now, it still felt tempting.

Sasuke brought his eyebrows in for a moment as he tried to figure out what I was saying, until finally he jerked upward and scowled. Crossing his arms over his chest. I knew he finally got it. He was remembering that little stunt I pulled when he was still following me through the streets. Him on the motorcycle and me half jogging on the rode. I had thought it would be funny. To see his reaction when I(out of know where) just gave in, and came onto him. In the end it only made him angry. Now that I think about it, I was being kind of cruel. Not that I cared at the time, I was to busy laughing.

"I mean really-" I covered my mouth with my hand to try to stifle the up coming fit of giggles but it couldn't be helped. "What had I said? Your god like? Or something like it."

"You also said I was the perfect man." He grumbled, but I could here the smirk in his voice.

"And you believed me?" I through back my head in laughter.

"Wait a minute." I held my finger up in the air and pretended to think for a second, "You really looked convinced back there. So I'd say I'm a pretty good liar after all."

"Now wait just a second!" He perked up and a smile, a real smile, spread across his lips. "I wouldn't call that lying. Who knows, maybe you just chickened out?" He settled back on the bench and nodded once with a convinced gleam in his eyes.

"Chickened out?" I gasped and blinked twice as I processed this. "What?"

"And your reaction proves it" I heard him snicker.

There were no mirrors around, and it was to dark to see my reflection through any windows, but I was sure just from the sudden flash of heat that I was blushing. But why? He was totally off! I had no intention other than fooling him back there…

I huffed an aggravated sigh, "You are so full of it."

I had no doubts what so ever that Sasuke and I could have bickered about this for hours. I mean, he had completely convinced himself that I had fallen for him. While I on the other hand, knew better. But our waitress propped open the restaurant entrance with her hip while she held our menus in her arms.

She smiled at Sasuke, only Sasuke. "Your seat is ready ."

Sauske glanced at me for a moment, and a flash of emotion crossed his face. I could barely believed it when he took my hand and looked over his shoulder to address the waitress, "No thanks." Then he looked back down at me with a dreamy smile on his lips. "We've decided to go for Pizza."

*-*-*-Abigail15Meeker-*-*-*

Sasuke and I snucked up my drive way like spies. Well I snuck and he walked normally, with his hands stuffed in his pockets and an amused smile on his lips.

"Get down Uchiha!" I pulled on his sleeve, but when he didn't crouch down I tugged on his elbow with both hands and forced him into a crouch behind a bush just outside my house. The lights in my mom's room were still on, so they were still up. I had hoped they'd be in bed already, but it seems like my luck had run out today.

"Why?" He growled rubbing his elbow. Muttering how annoying I was under his breath. But I heard him just fine, and rolled my eyes.

"For the same reason I made you park the bike on the other street." I tried to explain, "My dad is crazy overprotective."

"So?"

"So?" I gasped, "If he sees you'll he'll kill you!"

"Right." He scoffed. "I'd like to see him try."

I ripped a handful of grass from the ground and chucked it in his face, "Focus Sasuke!"

He blew a few blades of grass from his mouth and scowled at me. But I just shrugged him off and peered up over the bush. Sasuke was the last of my worries.

I focused my gaze on mom's window carefully, as if I could will her to fall asleep. Because when she went to bed, so did dad. It was their silent rule that I never really got, until I was given the birds and bees talk from Mom in the fifth grade. Than everything made sense.

"I just don't get it." I bit my lip, "Why is he even here?"

Sasuke looked over at me curiously, "What do you mean?"

I sighed and tied my air up in a high ponytail to keep it out of my eyes. "My dad's always been weird. He's constantly at work. And I mean **constantly**. He works all over the world so he's never home. He was just here last week, so I didn't expect him back for another month or two…" I trailed off.

He had come home late Saturday night last week. He looked pretty beat, so I used that as my excuse to just leave him alone. But the truth was, I didn't know my dad. He never spent anytime with me. So I never really missed him. How can you miss what you never had? Right?

Well, sometime after midnight, I had snuck down to get a drink and had accidentally ran into him. He took one look at my hair which was black at the time, and shook his head hopelessly. Than walked right passed me, like he had never saw me. No 'hello' or 'how are you.'

I couldn't imagine what he would say about my hair now? With it being pink and all.

"I've got to get in there without him seeing me."

"Because of this," He tugged my ponytail lightly.

"That's a pretty big part of it." I nodded.

Sasuke broke into a smile and I brought my eyebrows in confusingly.

"What are you smiling about?"

"I guess its because I'm not used to this. Usually I'm helping the girl sneak out, not sneak in."

I eyed him warily, "Who says you'll be helping. I told you to drive away a long time ago."

"And?" There was that arrogant smirk again…

"And you didn't." I poked him in the chest, "Your still here."

"Maybe that's because I cant stand to leave you." He had leaned in close and whispered in my ear.

"Don't-" I gulped down my nervousness, "Don't make me sick."

He chuckled, "Look you want help or not?"

I threw a look over my shoulder, at my moms window, and than back at him with a defeated sigh. Because the truth was, I needed him. I mean I needed his help…yeah that's it.

"Yes."

Sasuke smiled and squeezed my knee before he stood up, cracking his knuckles.

"What?" I frantically looked around, "What are you doing!"

"You need a diversion Pinkete." Sasuke smirked. But this smirk was different from all the others. It wasn't playful, proud, or even arrogant. But excited.

"Diversion?" I repeated with a squeak.

"Wait here for the signal." He muttered and started for the back of my house. Leaving me sitting there on the ground completely confused.

"Signal…Sasuke wait." I pulled at my hair as he vanished around my house. What was he thinking! What was he planning?

"Uchiha!" I hissed into the darkness…

Wait…what was the SIGNAL?


	8. Chapter 8 Pink haired Zombie

You have **got** to be kidding me! Please someone let me in on the joke already! Or did Sasuke Uchiha really sneak behind my house just now?

"_Wait here for the signal." _He had told me.

Well that'd be fine if I **knew** the signal! I thought this sort of thing only happens in the movies. They say "Hey, I'll make a scene and you can get the heck out of here.' And then totally forget to inform the runaway what the signal was…

"Sasuke!" I whispered, not that I expected an answer. I just needed to keep my mouth moving so that I wouldn't scream. Oh man…oh man oh man oh man!

What if mom decided to go outback just for the fun of it? What if dad wanted to take a smoke? Did he smoke anymore or did he quit yet?

What was he going to do anyway? Brake a window? Set a fire! I swear Sasuke if you burn down my house, I don't care how sexy you are…I'll kill you!

"Pinkete."

I snapped straight and swirled around. Sasuke stood behind me with his arms crossed over his chest and a proud smirk on his lips.

"Where did you come from?" I cupped my hands over my chest and waited for my heartbeat to stop pounding on my rib cage.

"Your backyard." He shrugged. "But I came around the other way."

I shoved him in the chest and gritted my teeth together so that I wouldn't scream. "What about your diversion?"

"Well I was working on that." He sighed, "But I could hear you freaking out from all the way back there. I was afraid you were having a melt down."

I let my head drop, suddenly exhausted. But mostly relieved. No diversion? Fine with me. This way my windows would stay in tacked.

"Hun? I swear I'm hearing voices outside." I barley heard it, but that was most definitely my mom. She must have had the door just barley cracked for us to hear, but I could also make out dad's sigh.

"Okay, fine. I'll check it out."

"Oh no!" I gasped and made a complete circle, desperately searching to find a way out. But there wasn't any, we were caught. We were **so** caught! Oh my god…my hair! Mom doesn't even know about it yet. I was going to lay it on her slowly…this wasn't slowly. And Sasuke, what was he? A friend…more? My _melt down_, as Sasuke called it, picked up where it had left off and I began to feel like an animal trapped in a corner. No way out!

"Get down!" Sasuke wrapped his arm around my waist and tugged me down behind the bush again.

"I'm dead." I didn't notice I was gripping his hand until he squeezed it back with his left hand and cupped my mouth with his right.

"No your not."

My response was muffled by his hand and he just smirked, "Trust me, remember?"

Part of me wanted to rip his hand from my mouth and just give myself up. Turn myself in, and hope Sasuke got away before dad grabs his shotgun…

But another part, a stronger part, wouldn't let me. _"No your not!" _His voice repeated over and over again in my mind. _"Trust me." _My heart skipped a beat and for a half a second I remembered Kiba… and how he **never** made me feel like this. _"Remember?"_

I could feel his breath on my cheek, slow and even. While I had to fight to breath in general.

As I stared into his dark blue eyes, I wondered if it was really his fault in the first place that he was a player. I mean, how could he not? When looks like his would have any girl swooning after him. Then I realized how dumb that sounded, of course it was his fault. His looks were no excuse! And I mentally slapped myself for ever thinking differently.

I could hear my dad's footsteps as he approached the bushes. He walked slowly, probably checking out everything in sight. But an irrational part of my mind just thought he was doing it on purpose to torture me.

He was right there in front of us, stranding by the bush. I peaked up over my bangs, and there he was. Standing over us. All he had to do was glance down, and he'd find his daughter in the arms of a boy he didn't know, with his hand over her mouth. But I wasn't worried. How odd.

A small, playful smirk crossed Sasuke's lips, and I realized he was enjoying this. I had to admit, it was a rush. To know that at any moment, we could be caught. Terrifying yes, nerve wrecking, you bet. But fun? With Sasuke, yes. My palm rested over his chest, and I could feel his steady heart beat, so slow compared to mine.

Bum bum. Bum bum.

I tilted my head to the side and his hand slid slowly from over my mouth. Very cautiously, I snaked my arms around his neck. Hoping and praying that my dad wouldn't catch the movement from his peripheral vision. I didn't really know what I was trying to do, I just knew I wanted to be closer. It wasn't something I could really control. It was like he was pulling me in, and maybe he was, physically. But he was also drawing me in subconsciously. Like there was an invisible string there, between us. Tying us together.

His face leaned in closer to mine and he hesitated. Like a boy would do to a girl in a normal situation outside a school locker or on a park bench. But instead of kissing me, he brushed our lips together as if to tease me. And he definitely knew what he was doing, since I completely forgot about my dad as I heard his footsteps go back in the house.

"Nothing?" Mom asked back at the door.

"Nothing. Lets go to bed." Dad replied and the door shut behind them.

Sasuke and I both let out a heavy sigh of relief. Our foreheads were just barley touching, but I was more aware of that than my foot that as slowly beginning to fall asleep beneath me.

"I think I'm going to have a heart attack." I gasped leaning my head on his shoulder.

"Go ahead, then I can give you CPR." I could hear the mocking tone in his voice and I rolled my eyes.

"I wouldn't enjoy a moment of it though." I stuck my finger down my throat and pretended to gag.

I expected him to roll his own eyes at me, or scowl. But instead he barked out a laugh. Surprising me with a huge smile that brighten up his eyes.

Candle….

"You don't believe me?" I asked in an angry tone, but I couldn't keep up my charade as I slowly began to smile. I couldn't help it.

The fact that I actually hadn't been caught was one thing. But I was also on the ground, with the most beautiful boy in the entire world. I may have been safe, but my heart continued to pound in my chest. Just for a different reason this time…

"Why should I believe you." He snickered, "Your practically lying though your teeth."

"Oh?" I crossed my arms over my chest and stared at him challengingly, "What makes you think that?"

Instead of answering my question he stood and pulled me to my feet. He gave me a look, and suddenly I felt a wave of nervousness. I just new from that look he gave me, that I was in deep trouble. His lips pulled into one of the most arrogant smirks yet, and he leaned in so that I cool smell the fresh mint gum in his breath, "How sexy am I again?"

I let my jaw drop and I stood there quietly as I counted to eleven in my head.

1...What

2...did

3...the

4...sexy

5...arrogant

6...self

7...absorbed

8...Uchiha

9...Prince

10...just

11...say?

I recalled a few minutes before, when I had said he was sexy…well sort of.

I hadn't actually **said **it, but **thought** it. As in, in my **mind**! But the smirk on his lips as he watched me sort all of this out told me otherwise.

So what he's saying is…I said that…**Out loud**!

"_I swear Sasuke if you burn down my house, I don't care how sexy you are…I'll kill you!"_

He heard that?

I stood frozen as a statue as my face turned cherry red from embarrassment. I didn't dare speak, and even if I did, I probably wouldn't of remembered how. The pressure in my head that the blush had brought on was all I could think about at the moment.

"I'm just curious." He shrugged. Clearly enjoying every minute of this. I could almost see him at his throne right about now. With a giant crown, cape and knee high boots. I could tell from his expression. He felt like a king.

I groaned, finally pulling myself out from the element of shock that I was in. There really wasn't any way around it. I would tell him the truth, he'd already heard me the first time. He just wants to know how much…ugh.

"Very." I grumbled and scowled. The fact that I had to say it alone, was horrifying.

"See? I knew you would come around sooner or later. They always do." He casually laid his arm over the top of my shoulders.

I let my face fall in my hands and I groaned again. "Well I'm glad **your** enjoying this!"

"Oh I am." He chuckled. "Trust me."

_Trust me…_

_Trust me…Pinkete._

_Trust me…_

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

I woke up early the next morning. But not on purpose. No of course not! Because I'd never get up before noon on my own accord. My phone alarm went off and I began to smack randomly on my bed stand as I tried to grasp my phone.

After knocking over my bed stand lamp I groggily lifted my head from my pillow and growled. Kind of like Ino does when annoyed, except my mouth was sand paper dry from drooling half the night and it came out more like a gagging baby.

To say Sleeping Beauty wasn't exactly my specialty would be an understatement. I looked like a corpse with pink hair. You know…the alive kind. The kind that had to drag her sorry butt up for the next five days to go to school.

**What fun! **Did you catch the sarcasm there?

I crawled my way to the shower. Yes, I actually crawled. I don't think I could trust myself to not fall back to sleep mid step. So this way if that happens it wouldn't be such a long drop. I still had a bruise on my left knee from last time. It was a sick yellow shade now, and I'd die if I ever had something like it on my face!

It wasn't until I started my shower did I really wake up. Body and all. Because that's when Sasuke's smirk, Sasuke's voice and Sasuke's eyes invaded my mind. It wouldn't of been so uncomfortable…if I wasn't bare naked and soaking wet. So I shut off the water and climbed out, wrapping a towel around myself before the chill got to me.

_Sasuke…_

It seemed like his name popped into my thoughts every other second. It was annoying at first, like last night when I was trying to fall asleep. Him and his motorcycle long gone after I snuck in. Successfully I might add!

_Sasuke…_

But right now I didn't mind. Since I didn't get my usual 'fifteen minute wake up shower' this morning, and his name was the only thing keeping me from dropping on the floor unconscious.

Usually I would just have to pull on my school uniform. But on Mondays I had to put more thought into things. Since Mondays were casual Mondays. As in, I could wear whatever I wanted. At first I had thought it was a blessing. I mean, day after day of the same clothes? But then it made me realize just how much I depended on the matching outfits. Since Mondays were no doubt the worst mornings of them all for me. And now they wanted me to put together a presentable outfit without dieing from pre-morning exhaustion? It didn't help that I had spent most of the night with…

_Sasuke…_

There it was! That burst of energy that helped me remember that Ino had already picked out my outfit for today. It wasn't that I was a baby or anything. I was perfectly capable of matching my own clothes. It was just that Ino wanted to make sure that she found the perfect ensemble for my new hair.

Which, by the way, was being so good today! I'd hate to sound like a raving Ino on a good hair day but I couldn't help it! It curled where I wanted it to curl. It laid straight without frizz! In fact, my usually untamable bangs, were parting exactly right. I felt like dancing, but I decided against it, not wanting to push my new found energy any more than I already was.

After dressing I looked at my refection in my door mirror and gasped in awe. Ino was a pure genius! She must have known everything about clothes and colors since I looked just about perfect.

I could tell she had tried to revolve everything around my pink hair. And she had done a wonderful job at doing so. I have to admit, when I first saw this outfit laid out on her bed, I was a bit nervous about it. For one, it had more colors other than black and I was pretty darn used to black by now. But it also seemed a bit, spunky. I knew Ino wanted to make Kiba drool at the mere sight of me, but this seemed a bit out there. It wasn't revealing, but at the same time sexy. Now that I had gotten used to the set of clothes, it didn't seem so bad anymore. Actually it was a relief to wear something other than black.

**(A/N If you want 2 see the actual outfit, go on my profile and you'll find a link! It's super cute and I'm afraid I can't explain it in a way that it deserves!)**

The shirt was a short sleeved white and pink stripped top. With round gemstone buttons. Ino would kill me if I didn't unbutton a few so I left the top two buttons undone. The pants, to my dismay, were black. But I just shrugged it off and added a few purple bracelets to both my wrists. I knew they wouldn't match, but part of me wanted to piss off Ino this morning.

I took a final look in the mirror, turned full circle, and smiled triumphantly at the girl in the reflection.

_Sasuke…_

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

I took the stairs down two at a time and slung my backpack over my shoulder.

Mom was in the kitchen and by the smell of things, she was cooking my favorite! Bacon pancakes! Hey, don't hate it until you try it!

"Smells good mom!" I called and rummaged through the cabinets for a glass to pour my Orange juice in.

When I didn't get a reply right away I automatically checked the baseball cap that I tucked my new pink hair in. I wasn't afraid that she'd freak like my dad would, it's just that I promised I'd tell her the next time I dyed my hair. And obviously I had fallen short on that promise…

"What time did you get home last night?" My mom sighed and flipped one of the pancakes on the pan. I didn't like her tone, or the way she wouldn't look at me. It made me nervous.

"Umm." I pretended to look for something in my backpack so I could come up with a descent answer. "Late I guess."

"You guess?"

Now that I was sitting at the kitchen table I couldn't see her face. So I had no way of knowing what to expect. What was wrong? My mom was always the good parent, the one who cared but didn't nag. And she was getting awfully close to crossing that line. I hope dad hadn't rubbed off on her.

"I was in before midnight." I watched her back for any response and when there wasn't any, I continued, "I wasn't breaking any curfews."

"I know." Mom wiped her hands dry from washing them and slung it over her shoulder. "Sorry, I was just worried. You're my baby girl, and when my baby doesn't come home to see her father in time…well, that bothers me."

Oh…was that all? She was disappointed that I didn't get to say Hi and Bye to dad before he left this morning?

"Oh he was here?" I decided to play it dumb. But she didn't buy it.

"Sakura.." Mom sighed and took a seat beside me. "He does love you, very much."

"I know." I lied and very slowly inched my butt off the chair. The last thing I wanted to get into was another 'Your dad loves you' discussion. Because I've already heard it a million times. From my mom that is, but never from my dad.

"He just…has to work." Mom ran her fingers through her hair nervously. Like she always did when dad and his work came into topic. The thing is, I never could figure out why. Why did she always fidget like that?

It used to bother me. Mom only fidgeted when she knew she was doing something wrong. Other wise she's as hard as stone, so confident and beautiful. So obviously I always noticed when her walls seemed to crumble, even if only for a moment.

"I'm going to be late for school if I don't get going now." I told her and headed for the door. I really hated having to leave her like this. The smell of the bacon pancakes still filled the air, and even though I was starving, it didn't appeal to me.

"Be safe." Mom mumbled softly, but I caught it.

I turned to take one last glance at her before I left. And immediately regretted it.

Mom, always so strong and confident, had her face in her hands. Like she was crying…

What the heck was going on around here?


	9. Chapter 9 Complicated morning

**A/n VERY IMPORTANT! I changed the summary to this story yet again! Ha! I just can't seem to find the perfect summary for this story!**

**New summary: Some people say that you can never love in High school. I disagree. I found it very easy to love Sasuke and I was only 17. He saved me, and somehow, I saved him. You'd have to hear our story to get it. "Good god, you bought me a motorcycle?" **

**Ps. Thank you to my favorite cousin, Julia! I couldn't use hardly any of your amazing ideas for this chapter but I've saved them and am going to work them in chapter by chapter! I love you! Oh and don't forget to poop out deep dark secrets! (insider) hehe =b**

Ch.9

_**Quote: "A wise girl kisses but doesn't love, listens but doesn't believe, and leaves before she is left." Marilyn Monroe**_

"What's with the hat!" Ino shrieked. Her eyes about ready to explode in their sockets. "I don't like the fact that your new pink hair is totally covered by that hideous object!"

"Oh!" I settled in her car's passenger seat beside her. "Sorry. I forgot it was on."

"Well take it off before you end up with hat head." She scowled and jerked the car forward. I was prepared with one hand gripping under my seat and the other pressed on the dashboard. Ino never was the model driver. Sure, she could drive. She just chose to live in a video game. The kind where you could crash a million times and the worst thing that would happen is coming in last place!

I took the cap off and ran my fingers through my hair, "How's it look?"

"Eh?" She shrugged, "It's better than your old color."

"Huh." I pretended to scroll through the caller list on my cell, "You seemed so much more excited about it yesterday."

"Well yeah. But I've got to keep my cool."

"You don't have a cool, Ino." I muttered under my breath.

"Cuz' everyone's going to be freaking out over the new you. And if I'm going to play body guard-"

"Bodyguard?"

"Then I need to stay focused." Ino finished with a proud smirk.

Funny, the way her lips pulled up just at the ends reminded me of Sasuke.

I wonder what he did after last night? I doubt he crashed on his bed and drooled all over his pillow like me. No, he had probably gone out looking for the next pink haired girl to woo. Deep down I knew I was being ridiculous. Sure, Sasuke was handsome, but the way he looked at me, the way he treated me, it made me feel special. Maybe I made him feel special too, maybe-

I caught myself and shook the thoughts from my head.

But I failed to shake the way his hair felt between my fingers. It was so messy, but it ran right through my fingers like silk.

"Oh yeah, Ino! God forbid I get a few stares in homeroom." I clutched the fabric over my heart and pretended to choke, "To many eyes! There're killing me Ino! It burns!"

"**Your** the one killing **me**." Ino sighed.

I shrugged happily, "It's a talent."

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

"Damn..." Choji Akimichi shoved his chubby hands in his sweat pant's. Ever since the third grade he was known as the human balloon. Rumors have been going around that he's scheduled for liposuction this year. In other words, he's getting his fat sucked out. I don't really know him all that well, but Ino's pretty good friends with him. So I put up with him.

"You can say that again." Rock Lee ran his hands through the mess on top of his head and sighed dreamingly. Lee is a whole different story. He's the human stick, that reaches a ridiculous height of 6'5. Oh, and he's had this fascination with me ever since my boobs came in around the sixth grade. He could be sweet, but he could also be the biggest pain in the ass the world has ever known!

"Sure, she was cute before...but now-"

"I think Kankuro junior just did the wave!" Kankuro smiled widely and patted his crotch cooing 'good boy.'

"Kiba's gonna' kill you if he finds out you said that!" Choji said between chuckles.

"No way man! He dumped her Friday at the movies." Kankuro retorted.

"Really?" Choji looked generally surprised, "I heard it was at the bowling alley."

"Either way, that guys a dumbass for letting her go." Both Kankuro and Choji nodded.

"MARRY ME SAKURA!" Lee suddenly shouted. Where did that rose between his teeth come from? Please don't tell me he keeps one of those around at all times!

"Hey man! Not cool."

"Yeah Lee, I wanted to ask that!" Kankuro was obviously joking.

"I love you Sakura!" Lee ignored them. Are those real tears in his eyes or are they artificial?

"No! I love you more Sakura!"

"Fuck you, I love her the most!" Kankuro hit Choji over the head. But I really doubt he meant it. He was probably only in it for the competition.

"Marry me my beautiful cherry blossom who's eyes glow in the moonlight!" Do I really need to say who yelled that?

"No! Marry me!"

I tried to ignore the conversation just on the other side of the hall. But some of the things were pretty interesting. Like the stuff about Kiba and how he was a dumbass. That was pretty fun to listen too. But as soon as Lee dropped the marriage bomb everything got awkward! Especially when they started screaming. I tried my locker combination three times before I finally got it right and jammed my cherry red face inside it. Who cares if I'm slightly, more like deadly, claustrophobic. At least I could try to block them out this way. Leave it to Lee to totally embarrass me!

I inhaled deeply "What the-" I choked and scanned my locker for the smell, pulling out last weeks tomato sandwich. It was still in its plastic baggie, but that did absolutely nothing to keep out the stench. I plugged my nose and stuffed it in my backpack. The first trashcan I pass would have the honor of eating this nasty thing.

"Move it fat ass! Best friend coming through!" I didn't have to look over my shoulder to know who said it. Ino elbowed through the growing crowd like a weed whacker and all I knew was that I was suddenly very grateful that my 'bodyguard' had finally made it to my rescue.

"Hey Saki!" She chirped at my side and sniffed. "Umm, you did take a shower today right?"

I ignored that and took a quick glance behind my shoulder, "You're a black belt in marshal arts right? Because I think I'll need your bodyguard skills after all."

Ino shrugged her backpack higher up her shoulders, "More or less."

"What's that supposed to mean?" I slammed my locker shut and the metal door rattled. Hopefully everyone would get the hint that I wasn't to fond of being the center of attention.

"Well I walked into the Dojo, the instructor told me I was hot, and I walked right back out."

"Ino!" I bounced on the tips of my feet. "Everyone's starring at me. I feel like a gold fish!"

"Let me guess" Ino smirked arrogantly and placed her hands on her hips, "It burns?"

I groaned, "Ino this is so not the time for a torture session!"

"Its not! It's a 'Say Ino's Right' session."

"I swear to god-" I growled under my breath. The crowd in the hall continued to grow in numbers. Usually I would continue to argue, because saying Ino is right is like shoving a babies bottom in my mouth.

Yeah, not very pleasant….

But I had a whole alphabet of problems at my feet. **A**,**B **and **C** were Choji, Lee and Kankuro. They had started this whole mess in the first place. **D-J **were the 7 guys who just joined the brawl and **K-N **were the 4 lesbians who decided they wanted to fight for me too!

"Okay!" I yelled over the chaos, a pair of underwear flying over our heads…**What the Hell! **

"I'm sorry, Saki! I can't hear you!"

"You were right!" I grabbed her shoulders, "Now get me out of here!"

She smiled triumphantly and snapped her fingers yelling, "Lee walk over here!"

Lee's black mop head popped out from the brawl with a confused expression. His left eye was swollen and his lower lips was cut. I would feel bad for him, you know, if he was anyone but Rock Lee…

"Walk?" His voice was barley audible over the ruckus.

"Yes Leah!" Ino scowled, "You know, one foot in front of the other. Left right left right, there we go!"

Lee pulled himself out from the fight and I glared furiously at Ino! What was Lee going to do? Compliment me to death? What was Ino thinking?

"Lee my friend!" Ino tugged Lee down a good foot before she slung her arm over his shoulder. "Since you pretty much started this whole thing, you owe Sakura your services."

I continued to stare intensely at Ino's face. It was set in stone. Like a business woman getting ready to set a deal.

"Oh, anything for Sakura!" Lee stole a glance at me and blushed. I finally gave up on trying to figure out Ino's thinking and settled on the edge of my locker. I might as well watch this whole thing unfold. Right?

"That's a good green bean!" Ino patted him on the head and threw her head back towards the crowd.

"Choji, get over here!"

I was very much aware of the way Lee inched his way closer and closer to where I stood and I sighed dramatically.

"_Okay Choji, your gonna' have to make a distraction so we can get out of here unnoticed!"_

"So.." Lee shuffled his feet and gulped.

"Yup…" I said and pursed my lips.

Ino and Choji's conversation could be heard in the background.

"_What kind of distraction Boss?"_

"_I'm going to need you to fart!"_

"So umm…" Lee rubbed the back of his head, "I like the new color."

I banged my head on the locker. Hurry Ino! Lee's trying to flirt!

"_Fart? Are you sure that'll be safe? Remember what happened last time-"_

"_I'm willing to take that risk! But you need to know, we may not make it out alive."_

"_You mean...I could miss dinner?" _Choji's voice came out in a squeak.

"So…" Lee tried again and I sighed.

"Yes?"

"What do you do for a living?" Lee laughed nervously.

I wonder if I would go to Hell for choking my best friend to death?

"I'm a female impersonator."

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

We successfully made it through the hallway when Choji stretched his but cheeks and let it rip! I swear the wall's began to shake! Moans and groans, and gags could be heard behind us as the smell filled the halls.

In mid run Lee knocked me off my feet and caught my back before I could hit the floor!

"What the hell Lee!" I gripped his shoulders as he carried me. Ino was right on his heels.

Part of me wondered just when exactly I got dragged into world war III.

I watched the scene unfold over Lee's shoulder and noticed for the first time that Choji wasn't following us!

"Oh my god! He got caught in his own blast!" I gasped.

"Man down! Man down!"

*-*-*Abiagil15Sage*-*-*

"You did good lee!" Ino hugged him around his waist. Choji was on the floor with his head between his knees wheezing like my grandpa.

"Are you okay Choji?" I asked, crouching on the balls of my feet.

"Who knew-" He inhaled deeply, "That my farts were so…"

"Deadly?" I finished for him and we both laughed. Although mine sounded healthy while his were off since he was still trying to catch his breath.

"Lee saved your life!" Ino crouched down beside me and ruffled Choji's hair. "If he hadn't gone back for you, you'd be dead."

"It's no biggie!" Lee gave us a thumbs up, and as I looked up at him from the ground, I can honestly say he looked just like a giant. Except he had a friendly shine in his eyes.

We had burst through the school doors and were out in the courtyard. Dozens of chairs were spread out over the grass and the russet brick walls enclosing the area were covered in jasmine vines.

"Thanks Lee. I owe ya' man!" Choji coughed and muttered "I really need to lay off the beans."

"Seriously Choji! I can get you a paper back from the nurse's office!" I offered but he shook his head slowly.

"I'm fine. But thank you Sakura." He snuck a look at Ino, "How about CPR?"

I blinked slowly as Ino smacked him over the head and Lee burst out laughing. So that's what's going on. Choji is in love with Ino.

The first bell rang and we all stood up slowly. We were already late, so why rush?

"I'll see you later man!" Choji and Lee did some guy hand shake that looked more gay than manly, and Choji headed in the direction of the cafeteria. But I happened to know his first class was in the opposite direction.

I laughed under my breath, "What ever happened to laying off the beans, huh?"

Choji looked over his shoulder and gave me a toothy grin, "Starting tomorrow!"

"You know he's lying." Ino sighed, "But you gotta' love him."

I snuck a glance at my best friend, and then looked up at Lee. He was giving me the same insightful look and we both broke out into a grin.

He was thinking the same thing as I was: Ino loved Choji too!

"Well I need to go pee!" Ino rose her hands up in the air and stretched. She obviously hadn't seen our little exchange. Which was good. If Ino had feelings for Choji, which she did, than I'd want her to find this out on her own.

"Very lady like Ino." I muttered, "But so do I."

"What is it with you girls and always having to go to the restroom together? Come on, what's the secret?" We both laughed and I waved him off.

"I'm not at liberty to say. Sorry Lee!"

I followed Ino to the back of the courtyard. There sat a small white building with two blue painted doors. One with a stick figure in pants and another with a skirt. But at some point of the school year, someone thought it was funny to draw a giant…well you know, on the boy stick figure and put a arrow pointing to the words, "This is me ladies!"

"Wait Sakura!" Lee ran up to me just as I was about to head into the girls room. Ino went straight for the mirror, and decided to ignore us.

"This room is strictly off limits Lee." I growled, "I wasn't joking."

"No, that's not what I was planning on asking." He rubbed the back of his head and laughed nervously at me. Uh oh. Lee was trying to flirt again…

Seriously Lee? I wanted to say, half my floot is in a public restroom…do you really think I want to be asked out right now?

"Okay shoot." I might as well get this over with. Lee was sweet, annoying, but sweet none the less.

If he asked me out, I'd have to say no. Not because of his looks, that really didn't matter to me. It was just that no matter how complicated this morning had gotten, I couldn't stop thinking about Sasuke. Not even when Choji's major gas trap poisoned the entire science hall. Sasuke's, voice, lips, eyes, and even his smirk never left my thoughts. I loved the way he played it cool, but all I had to do was dig a little bit, and he'd play along. I loved his sense of humor. And I loved his vibe of mystery and danger.

Lee was no comparison.

I was suddenly pulled from my thoughts when Lee took my hand in both of his.

"I…uh…well you see…the thing is…." Lee stuttered. Poor guy, he really was nervous.

Finally he let go of my hands and grinned stupidly. "What's your sign?"

A few seconds of awkward silence passed between us and I growled under my breath. This was the second time he had chickened out. I wish he would just get it over with already! I mean: what's your sign, what do you do for a living? Really Lee?

"Your sign?" He probed.

"Do not enter." I replied dryly, and slammed the door in his face.

**Note to self: Avoid Lee At All Cost!**

"Well that was-" Ino was sitting on the sink but jumped off with a thud, "Pleasant."

"I'm loving your sarcasm." I growled and tied my hair up high in a ponytail. "I swear Lee is the most annoying person on the face of the planet."

"Oh give him a break!" Ino went into the first stall then immediately came right back out.

"No toilet paper?" I asked as she checked the next one.

"No, but there was plenty of poop." We both shuddered and I inched myself away from the stall. I swear! How hard is it to flush the damn toilet! I wonder if guys had it worse? No, they probably loved it!

In my disgust I almost missed Ino say, "Why don't you give him a chance? It's not because of Kiba is it?"

"What? No." I retorted and propped myself up on the sink just like she had. "There's no chemistry. Sure he's nice and all, but there's no fireworks. I want sparks to fly!"

"Saki…" She gave me a suspicious glance, "Your not holding out on me right? You didn't meet anyone at the Uchiha shop did you?"

I knew she was only joking, so I kicked her square in the butt. She stumbled but laughed, closing the bathroom stall behind her. I guess this one was clean. Or clean enough.

"Very funny Ino." I said, starring at my hands.

If only she knew just how **Dead On **she really was.

_Sasuke…._


	10. Chapter 10 His Game

**IMPORTANT!**** I have posted another story! Its called: Strange Angels**

**Here's the Summary: **I'm different. I know that well enough. So is she. She's the most beautiful girl in the world. She's part of the Stranges. A group of Angels without a true form. The strongest kind are the Miracles. They feed off the moon. I'm a miracle. And she's my Angel. She knows I'm dangerous and I know she's deadly. She knows I love her and I know she doesn't. SasuSaku

**REVIEW???**

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

**Ch.10**

"_**If love is shelter, I'm going to walk in the rain."-Abigail15Sage**_

Some mornings are boring and pretty easy to forget. Like last Monday! Ms. Temari went over the laws of gravity.

'What goes up must come down!' Yeah, I get it ! Now **please **shut up!

Not this morning though. Actually it was anything but boring. First world war III brakes out in the science hall because of yours truly. Then this happens…oh your lost? Sorry! I'll start at the beginning. Well not from the **beginning** beginning, just where we left off.

Hmm, lets see. We left off at the girls bathroom right?

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

"Ino how long are you going to take!" I complained. I'd untied my hair then put it back up twice already, and believe it or not, it was getting kind of dull. Ah, the impossible decision for every girl. Up or down? Down or up? Halfies?

"Relax Saki, jeez you'd think you have somewhere to go or something."

I barked out a laugh and glared over my shoulder at the bathroom stall she was in. "I do! It's called class! You have it too, remember?"

"Class is for losers." She exclaimed over the sound of the toilet flushing.

"Let me guess-" I crossed my arms over my chest as she washed her hands. "Collage is for losers too?" She was in one of those handicapped bathrooms, so there was a sink already inside.

"Well no…" She paused to think that over.

"Well well well. **Suck**era's got a pretty new wig!" A high, almost glass breaking, voice taunted me. Karin Umeko, the ugliest, and bitchest hoe ever to walk the face of the earth smirked smugly and leaned her hip on Ino's stall.

I clenched my hands into two fists and contemplated **who** was going to have to hold **who** back. Me or Ino?

Karin's had this thing for teasing me. Even way back in grade school when I was really only six and hadn't met Ino yet. Back when I used to take her malicious jokes and insults. But now, eleven years later, she didn't scare me. And her attempts at mocking my name were getting old.

Ha ha, you replaced 'Sak' with 'Suck'. Very funny Karin, I thought dryly.

"Wig? Whatever you say Karin." I shrugged. "At least I don't copy."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She growled.

I pointed at her hair. It was a shiny black. Just last week it was a fiery red. Can't say it was an improvement. The new black strands made her hair look frizzy on one side and uneven on another. "Your hair **Cow**rin." I knew name calling was childish and below me. But if she got to call me Suckera than I sure as hell should be able to call her a lame name like Cowrin!

She absentmindedly ran her fingers through her hair. "What about it?"

"Oh you know." I shrugged one shoulder, "First my hair was red, then your hair was red. Then I dyed my hair black and the next thing I know…so is yours. What? Tomorrow your hair will be pink too?"

"Why you slimy little slug!" She shrieked and balled her hands into two fist. "Your gonna' regret saying that! You wish you were cool enough-"

"Stop your ranting Karin." Ino swung open the stall that Karin was leaning on and she stumbled forward. "Or I'll just have to kick your ass. Capeesh?"

I snickered into my hand as Karin looked from Ino to me with an angry glare.

"Just get out of here Karin." I sighed. I had never actually gotten in a fight before. But it sure felt close to one right about now. The air was tense and thick. I wonder what Sasuke would think if he found out I got in a cat fight? He'd probably have a quick comment up his sleeve.

Like: That's my girl.

Or something perverted like this: That's hot Pinkette.

I smiled to myself. Was it possible to completely fall for someone just after one day? A warm feeling crept up my stomach and made it's way into my heart. I'd have to settle for maybe.

I was snapped into reality when a frustrated shriek tugged me out of my thoughts. Karin and Ino were in a heated screaming contest. Ino looked about ready to kill Karin, and Karin didn't look much different. Why did I have to space out during everything?

I began to sweat as I watched the two go at it. This could get real bad, real fast. Where was Choji and his mighty farts when I needed him? Or Lee and his annoying yet intimating height?

"Hey!" I shouted over their screams, but they ignored me.

"Don't be jealous just because I have a boyfriend and you don't!" Karin smiled smugly as Ino burned in rage.

"Why the hell should I be jealous of a fucking whore! Now get out my face!" Ino shoved Karin in the chest and she stumbled back catching her balance on the sink that I was just sitting on. I gasped and stepped in front of Ino. This was getting real bad, and quite honestly, I didn't want Ino to get suspended.

"Stop it Ino." I growled and stepped in front of her, my back to Karin. "She's so not worth it."

Ino let out an aggravated huff but seemed to cool off, even if just a little. We shared a small smile, and that's when I knew the worst was over.

"You ever touch me again Ino and I swear to god-" Turning my back on Ino I furiously glared at Karin.

"Fuck off!" I snapped. "Now unless you want Ino to rip all your new hair out, I'd get going."

"I'd love to do more than just rip it out." Ino growled behind me.

"You two really need to get a life." Karin sneered but backed up towards the exit none the less. "Ino, your mom is so insecure that she goes out with every guy she sees-" I felt the hostile waves roll off Ino again and I gulped down my own rage. Ino's mom was practically a second mother to me. How dare she! "And your mom Sakura, can't even keep a man! That's why your dad is always gone."

Something inside of me snapped. Like a rubber band being stretched out far beyond it's limits and broken. My vision turned blurry and I blinked away tears. Part of me was hiding in a deep dark corner in my mind. The younger me. But the older me, the stronger me, reached into my backpack in a rage. I hadn't thrown away that stinky old tomato sandwich that had stunk up my locker yet. And now that Karin had said those horrible things, I didn't plan to.

"Burn in hell. Both of you!" She finished and turned on her heel. But she took all of two steps before I caught her wrist and tugged her back. Slamming the moldy sandwich on her chest and smothering it all over her white blouse.

Ino threw back her head in a fit of laughter and I smirked arrogantly. I knew where I had learned it. Sasuke…he would be proud I'm sure.

Karin screamed and pushed me back. Ino caught me easily and we both watched as Karin screamed over and over again. As if she couldn't find the right words. Or was to furious to come up with any.

"Bitch!" She finally yelled and turned on her heel, shoving her body into the bathroom door and then slamming it shut.

It was quiet between Ino and I, until we glanced down on the ground and found little reminders of the sandwich I had smothered all over Karin's front. We both glanced at each other and then burst out laughing. Ino leaned over hugging her chest and I wiped away tears.

"Did-did-did-you see her face!" Ino sputtered still laughing hysterically.

I nodded, unlike Ino, I couldn't muster any words. My insides ached from laughing so hard and I needed to breathe.

"I feel bad for laughing." I leaned on the wall and clutched my stomach. Cowrin's shocked face swirled over and over again in my mind.

"Why?" Ino gave me a look like I had just grown two heads. "She deserved it. Did you here what she said about my mom. What she said about **your** mom?"

I took in a deep breath. The worst of the laughter had passed. "She really did go over board didn't she."

"I wanna' know how she knew that much about us in the first place."

I leaned my head on the wall and closed my eyes, "Well it's not really that much of a secret. What she said about me that is. My dad…he's always gone, and people talk."

"Your dad's a good man Sakura." Ino used my real name, so I knew she was being serious when she said, "He loves your mom."

"Then why was she crying this morning?" I rubbed my temples with my middle fingers. With everything that had happened this morning, I forgot to mention it to her.

"Wait, back up! Mayomi was crying?"

I slid down the bathroom wall and brought my knees up under my chin. Waves of guilt washed over me and mom's tear stained face invaded my thoughts. I should have stayed. I should have asked what was wrong. I shouldn't of left her like that! God, what kind of daughter was I?

"We kind of talked about my dad. It wasn't really a deep conversation or anything." Ino sat on the ground beside me. "She looked so tired though."

"So what? You think your dad's…you know, cheating?" Ino watched my face.

I blinked away tears. Not for me, but for my mom. She loves dad. He's always gone, and I mean always. But she still smiles dreamily whenever Mrs. Cooper, our next door neighbor, asks about him.

I sighed, "Honestly Ino…" I looked at her in the eyes. "no."

There was a few seconds of silence and Ino gave me a look asking me to elaborate.

"Mom is the strongest women I know." Ino nodded in agreement. "She wouldn't need a man in her life. So if dad was cheating…well I think she loves herself enough to end it right there and then."

"Your right." Ino smiled brightly at me. "Your mom doesn't put up with much. So if your dad **was** cheating, she'd have him out of the house for good."

I nodded, "Hell, she'd be packing his bags for him."

Ino laughed, "So…what do you think she was crying about then."

I bit my lip and starred up at the ceiling. A cobweb that the janitor had missed hung up in the corner. "That's what's bothering me. I have no idea."

"Well hey, for all we know she could have stubbed her toe." Ino tried to brightened the mood, and it worked. To a certain extent.

"Or she could be on TOM."

"Huh?" Ino tilted her head to side confusingly.

"You know. **T**hat time **o**f the **M**onth."

"Oh jeez!" Ino stood up and I held out my hands for her to help lift me up.

"Watch that's it, and all this worrying was for nothing."

I headed for the door as the second bell rang and I groaned. "We totally just missed homeroom." I opened the door and took a step outside.

"Oh god forbid we miss the announcements. I swear, they try to pretend their a news station or something. If you ask me, I'd say forget the daily news and start broadcasting porn or-"

I took one glance at what was outside and then stumbled back a few steps. Hitting my back into Ino's chest and shoving us back through the bathroom doors.

Ino scowled, "What was that for!" Then she took a look at my expression. "Saki? Are you okay? You look like you've just seen a ghost!"

"I...uh-" Thinking fast, I ran for the nearest bathroom stall and slammed the door shut. Making sure the bolt was locked and clenched my eyes shut.

"Sakura!" Ino knocked on the stall twice.

"Go away." I tried to control my voice. Because quite honestly, I felt like I was about to tear in half. My heart sunk to the bottom of my stomach and I bit my lip to keep in my tears.

"What's wrong?" Ino's voice was tainted in worry, and I knew she would never leave if I told her the truth. But really, I just needed to be alone.

"I…Uh-Explosive diarrhea!" I shouted and Ino took two necessary steps back.

"Ew…seriously?"

"Um…yeah! Yeah…it just came out of nowhere!"

"Oh." Ino took another step back. "You don't mind if I leave you to your…business. Right?"

"No of course not." I pretended to groan, "Seriously Ino get out unless you wanna' smell this."

"Ew! Um, yeah. See you later Saki!" She was out the doors before I could say anything else and I sighed in relief. Then in mere seconds the tears began to stream down my cheeks.

Why?

Because of what I saw. Because of what was outside. Because of **who **was outside.

Sasuke…he was sitting on one of the tables.

But he wasn't alone. No, Karin was with him too. Her newly stained shirt was tossed on the ground and she was straddling him with her tongue shoved down his throat. He wasn't objecting. In fact, his hands her unclasping her bra in a fashion that I could only describe as **rough**. That was all I could bare to watch.

I lowered the toilet lid and plopped myself down with my hands buried in my hands.

Suddenly, in those few seconds that I watched, everything made sense. And I felt so stupid for not figuring it out sooner.

**Dazzling black…was Karin. **

The whole reason Sasuke and I had met in the first place, was because I was looking for some pink hair dye for my plan, and he was looking for some black hair dye for his girlfriend. Something that I had tried very hard to remember in the first place. But never could. Because I was being played. I knew that now.

Maybe I knew that last night too. It was just easier to deny. Because Dazzling black didn't have a name back then. Or a face. Now she did. And she was beautiful. I don't care how bitchy Karin is. Or how much I hated her. She was still just that…'dazzling.' So much more than I could ever be. There was just **no** competition.

Last night was just a game to Sasuke. I had resisted him at the Uchiha shop, and so I had left him feeling like he had lost. So he insisted on a round two. He just happened to get a few pieces of pizza out of it too. God, I felt so dumb.

Karin's hair was black now. That should have been my first clue. What were the odds that Sasuke's girlfriend **and** Karin had dyed their hair the exact same shade on the exact same weekend?

And what the hell was Sasuke doing at my school anyway? He had never mentioned that he was coming here! There were at least three different schools in the area. So did he absolutely **have** to come here? The only fucking **private** school in town? I wearily thought of how ecstatic I would of been if I hadn't witnessed what he and Karin were doing just now. But it was better this way. At least I knew. He couldn't make a fool out of me anymore.

I fidgeted with my fingers as the minutes passed by.

At least I never kissed him.

But I **had** admitted that he was sexy. Maybe that was enough for him. He probably didn't even want my kiss in the first place. A wave of embarrassment coursed through my body.

I was so…pathetic.

Then, as if I couldn't feel any worse, Sasuke's wristband popped into my mind. And so did it's initials.

K.U

I let a whole new round of sobs break out. **K**arin **U**meko.

They were **her** Initials! Sasuke thought enough of her to wear her initials on his wrist! Well I would to if I was a player like Sasuke, and my girlfriend was giving her body away like it was extra change!

So this is what it's like to be used. To be played with.

Suddenly every ounce of grief disappeared from every inch of my body and was replaced with disgust. With rage.

I was Furious!

Last night was only a game to him?

Last night meant nothing?

Last night was a mistake…

First Kiba breaks up with me. (Which really, when I think about it, didn't hurt nearly as much as this.) And now I find out rather harshly that I was just another pawn in Sasuke's twisted, arrogant game.

The final bell rang for second period and I angrily tugged my hair out from its ponytail. It fell over my forehead and shoulders.

That was it! I would never, and I mean **never**, be fooled again.

I strolled out of the bathroom with my shoulders back and head held high. I glanced over at the now empty table that had nearly tore me apart five minutes ago. The shirt was gone. Well at least she was forced to wear that nasty thing for the rest of the day. Was Sasuke turned on by moldy tomato's?

Second period was 's Science class. She was a tough teacher, the kind that everybody silently liked but never admitted it. She would keep my mind off things for sure. With that said, I headed for the science hall with my backpack slung over my left shoulder.

It wasn't the end of the world…

Right?

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

Like I said, some mornings are boring and pretty easy to forget. Like last Monday when Mr. Kakashi gave me an A- on an essay I swore deserved a perfect A.

**These weren't one of those mornings.**

Damn Uchiha!


	11. Chapter 11 Miss you Hate you

**VERY IMPORTANT: There is actually a reason why this chapter is titled: ****Untitled. ****It's because I cant think of a fitting name. **_**That's where you guys come in! **_**Once you read this, send me a review or a private message with your title idea! The person with the best title will get the credit! ****I promise!**

**Shout out to Julia:**** I stayed up all night perfecting this chappie haha. Oh and I also put you somewhere in here! I know I said I'd name you after Sakura's kitten, but I think you'll like this even more lol (you'll see) Ps. Next time we arm wrestle: Your going dooownnn! Hehe =)**

**I don't own Naruto:but you already knew that**

**NOW ENJOY! Oh and plz review!**

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

Ch.11

"_**When I see you smile, and know that it its not for me , that's when I miss you the most" -Unknown**_

The first thing I notice about 's science class is that nothing was the same.

For one thing, nobody was in their seats. Which was pretty mind blowing all by itself since liked to hand out detentions like candy on Halloween day. Some were perched on top of their tables, mostly the jocks trying to flirt with the few cheerleaders in class. The Goths were in a far back corner probably discussing the assassination of the sun. The geniuses were huddled over a desk preaching the math book…

Oh! And there was absolutely **no** teacher in sight.

"Umm okay." I mumbled to myself and headed for my usual seat. The one smack down in the middle.

"Not to close but not to far either. It's perfect!" I had told Ino on the first day of school.

Settling into my seat I flipped my bangs out of my eyes and rested my chin in my hand with a heavy sigh. My eyes roamed around the front of the room looking for Ino. Part of me just knew she would be skipping this class too.

That's when my jaw dropped.

Inappropriately balanced on the chalk board sat Barbie, with Ken at her side. They had been forced to link thin plastic arms and were stripped naked. Well expect for a few artificial leaves taped in a few choice…locations.

Scribbled in handwriting much to messy to be 's were these three words:

**HUMAN REPRODUCTION (SEX) **

"What the-" I considered following Ino's lead. What was one day of missing science, right? Especially when it was so clear that the teacher was missing.

"I know. It's only the first day of school for me here, and I'm already learning about my favorite subject."

I froze in place and everything around me seemed to move in slow motion. Maybe it was adrenaline. Or maybe it was just the shock slowly making it's way through my system.

Gulping down a mouth full of spit, I slowly turned in my seat to meet deep, dark familiar eyes.

My heart skipped a beat as Sasuke leaned over in his desk behind me and smiled. His hands were clasped in front of him and resting on the desk top. "You look beautiful as always Pinkette."

My eyes quickly scanned the entire class room for any sign of Karin. I knew she didn't have this class, but after catching the two of them outside the bathroom I would have thought they'd be inseparable.

Sasuke caught my silence. "Your surprised to see me." It didn't sound like a question, more like a statement.

"I suppose so…" I sounded like a programmed robot, it was pathetic. But I was just trying with everything I had left in me to keep from breaking.

His eyes hadn't changed, they were still the intense blue that seemed to gaze right through me. His smile still reminded me of a candle and his hair was just as untamable as before. Except this time I knew who's fingers were running through his locks to make it so messy. I guess that's the only thing that **had** changed. I wasn't so gullible anymore.

"When you told me what school you went to back at the Pizza place it took me everything I had to keep from slipping." He smiled, and I bit my lip. "I guess I wanted to see your expression when you saw me."

"You make me sick." I blurted out. I had no idea where it came from. I thought I was doing a pretty damn good job at keeping everything in. But the smile he gave me, it looked **so** real. It was right then and there I knew I had been wrong about Sasuke from the very beginning. I didn't know his real smile, he had just fooled me into believing I did. The smile that I had thought was real, was actually one of the fakest ones he could make. The smile I always saw, the one that brightened the room, was just a token in his game. A game card that he pulls out whenever he wants to…I really didn't want to think about it anymore.

"Wait-" His smile fell and for half a second he seemed to look generally confused, "What?"

"I'm smarter than you think Sasuke." I kept my voice low. Because even though I knew no one would hear us over their own conversations, this felt private. "I know your only after one thing."

"Pink-"

"I know your after some sort of closure or something. But I'm not interested in filling the gap. In fact, I couldn't care less." I looked up into his eyes, and they were pitch black. "I will not be played."

He leaned back in his chair and suddenly it became a test of who would look away first. None of us were willing to lose, so the seconds ticked by very slowly.

Part of me wondered how something so good could suddenly turn so bad. The feeling tugging in my chest made everything clear. I still felt for him. Their was no denying it. But I wanted to be like my mother. I knew if dad ever played with her emotions, like Sasuke had clearly done to mine, then she would do what was best for her. She would let him go. She would find another person to make her feel the way dad did, expect this one would be true to her. And that's exactly what I'll do. I'll find my soul mate someday. Somebody nice, somebody worthwhile.

Finally I sighed and swung back around in my seat. I could still feel his eyes on me. Burning a hole in my back. I was so aware of him. Every inhale of breath, every exhale-Or maybe it was just my imagination. Either way, it took everything I had to keep from sinking in my seat.

I was feeling a million different emotions at that moment.

I was feeling hurt, and disappointed. Because Sasuke and I were nothing special.

But I was also feeling strong. Like I had grown up a bit just now. Because I had made myself clear to him that I wasn't his to play with. I deserved better.

Some how-I knew-I was going to be okay.

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

So it became painfully clear why everyone was so out of line in science class today. was out on a sick day, and Kakashi sensei was supposed to substitute for her. Of course, anyone who has ever had him as a sub would know that he almost never shows. And in some stroke of luck that he does, then he's always at least ten minutes late. So every one was taking their time to socialize.

I on the other hand, wasn't feeling it. Instead I sat in my seat fighting every urge to turn around in my seat. Because I knew who's eyes I'd meet.

About five minutes passed before Ami and Jenna, two blondes, started a conversation with Sasuke. They were obviously attracted to his looks, because the first thing they did after saying hello and introducing themselves was flirt.

I ripped my notebook from my bag and began studying the Periodic table of elements to keep my mind busy. The last thing I was going to do was take this torture with nothing to do.

"So Sasuke, where did you study before this?" Jenna was in the desk beside me with her figure turned around toward Sasuke.

"Yeah. You've got to be from out of town. I haven't seen you before." Ami added, batting her eyelashes. She was in the seat beside Sasuke.

I already knew the answer to their questions. Sasuke had told me at the Pizza place. His mom was a popular dress maker. Usually for brides and brides maids. They used to live in Florida, but his mother's business really took off about a year ago and the entire family thought it be best to move to a busier area. His dad was a well respected professor. So he could pretty much work wherever he wants. Anyone would be lucky to have him.

"Dayton High. I was planning on graduating there, but plans change I guess." He shrugged.

"Aw you poor thing." Jenna tilted her head to side. "I'm so sorry about that."

"Helium." I muttered to myself. "Atomic number 2."

"Yeah that must have really sucked." Ami slyly kicked Jenna's leg from under the table. But I caught it in my peripheral vision. Obviously Ami wanted Jenna to lay off on the flirting already so she could have a chance.

"Atomic weight 4.002602." I tried to block out the on going conversation.

"So what kind of food do you like best Sasuke?" Ami asked.

"Anything Mexican." Sasuke answered with a smirk audible in his voice. But I could have sworn I felt his stare on my back at that exact moment.

"Symbol HE." I gritted my teeth as memories of last night bombarded my train of thought. "Group name, Noble gas."

"Really? So do I!" Jenna's chirpy little laugh almost made me want to kick her myself.

"Helium, Jenna's head is full of it." I muttered out loud then moved on to another Element. "Nickel."

"What about siblings? Do you have any?"

"A couple." I was taken aback by his answer. He wasn't being very corporative. In fact, if he talked at all it would be a short-curt-answer.

With me…well lets just say I not only know he has a sibling, but he has two. One older brother in college named Itachi who is mostly the serious type until you get to know him. Then by what Sasuke says, you can never get him to stop joking. He's engaged to be married to a girl he met in France. I think her name was…Julia? And then he has one younger sister in middle school named Kaede. She's supposed to be a real sweetheart.

"Atomic number 28."

Part of me wondered why this was. Why was Sasuke Uchiha being so quiet? Jenna and Ami were gorgeous! You know, if you like that 'obviously attractive yet easy to get in bed' sort of thing. And by the looks of Karin, he did. So why wasn't he taking this opportunity by the reins?

"Atomic weight 58.6934." I stole a quick glance over my shoulder. Jenna and Ami were blabbering on and on about their families and how they were **never** home.

Huh…I think it's safe to assume that Jenna and Ami weren't exactly the subtle type.

But Sasuke just looked bored. He was leaning back in his chair angled toward the two girls with his legs stretched out in front of him. But his eyes looked dead.

"Symbol Ni." His eyes met mine, and the most torturous thing was not being able to look away. Like I was trapped in his gaze. He never looked away either, his eyes seeming to gain a light as soon as he noticed me.

But how was that possible? I was nothing to him…right?

Jenna and Ami stopped talking altogether and looked from Sasuke to me. Then back again.

"Umm, hello?" Jenna sneered. "Rude much!"

Ami stood from her seat and sighed. "Come on Jenna," before walking away. Unlike Jenna, Ami was smart. I'm sure she was able to sense the tension between Sasuke and I and found it safer to be far, far away. She could recognize a hint when given.

"You just blew it mister!" Jenna growled at Sasuke and stomped away like a four year old.

Watching her go I couldn't help but smile. Maybe it was from the show she just put on, and her overreaction. Or maybe it was just relief to see her go. Either way, I was beaming.

Sasuke glanced over at the sulking Jenna, smirked, and looked to the side to meet my eyes. "Well that was fun." He sighed. "What'cha working on." He pointed at my notebook.

I abruptly turned back around in my seat and made a show of turning the next page in my notebook.

"Pink-"

"Don't call me that! I told you I hate that." I snapped at him. I knew I was looking at a diagram of the human body, but I couldn't absorb any of it.

All I could **hear** was Sasuke's aggravated sigh.

All I could **see** were my fingers fidgeting with my 'say no to drugs' pencil.

All I could **taste** was the tension between us, like I had successfully placed a wall between the both of us.

All I could **feel** was Sasuke's breath on the back of my neck.

All I could **think** about…was Sasuke.

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

"Ino wait up!" I shouted over the several heads of teens and maneuvered my way down the hall. The final bell had rung a few minutes back-signaling the end of our Monday classes-and I had to hurry or I'd be late for work. That's right! You heard me right, well I guess in this case you **read** me right, but none the less, Sakura Haruno worked.

I know….It's a sad fact indeed.

"Oh Saki! I was wondering where you were." Ino was busy loading her bag full of books from her locker. "Kakashi Sensei totally ditched his morning classes. I hear the headmaster's going crazy!"

"He's going to get fired." I sighed and leaned my shoulder on the locker beside her's. The halls were slowly beginning to clear as everyone went outside. "He's a great teacher and all. When he shows up that is."

"If he gets fired than I'm coming to school naked." She scoffs. "Face it Saki, Kakashi Sensei and the headmaster are brothers, he's never going to get fired."

I roll my eyes as she slams her locker door shut and grabs my wrist, dragging me toward the stairwell doors. It isn't until I catch sight of Choji on the bottom of the steps do I remember what I wanted to ask her.

"Hey Ino, do you mind getting a ride with Choji? I'm going to be working late today and I need to use your car."

"Working late with the fish? That sounds fun." She teases sarcastically. Ino has always made fun of my job. Especially since I come home smelling like a sea boat everyday. But, personally, I love my job!

I pout in a way I know very well she can't possibly resist. Not once since we've met has she been able to say 'no' to **this** face! Scratch that, she had resisted it once, and only once. But that was because my eyes were painted with black mascara, eyeliner and eye shadow and my natural cuteness had been temporally hidden. I was also taped to a toilet because I was being 'stubborn'. In the end I escaped, but not before she took one humiliating picture of me on her Iphone and emailed it to everyone I school. It's hard to believe that all that had only happened a few days ago. So much has happened since then. My hair had gone through a dramatic change…and I met Sasuke.

I mentally slapped myself. Don't think about that-that…**jerk**! "Please Ino!"

She rolls her eyes with a heavy sigh. "Oh fine! Just pick me up a half an hour early tomorrow morning. Your buying me coffee."

I wince. An Ino after coffee is like a tiny three year old after an energy drink. She'll be jumping off the walls all morning. I myself have never tried coffee. I guess it's just the way it looks, or smells. Either way it's never looked all that…appealing to me. All I know is that it wakes Ino up-and keeps her up-on super speed for a couple hours. The teachers will have one hell of a morning, that's for certain. But if it meant not having to ride the stinky old public bus to work, then that's just fine with me!

"Deal!" I say happily and snatch the key dangling from her fingers. "Thank you very much."

"No problem." We reach the end of the stairs and Ino crouches down beside Choji. "Hey can you drive me home? Saki's got a date with Tuna and needs my car."

"I'm driving Shikamaru home, but if you don't mind a full car than sure." Choji wobbly lifts himself from the stairs and I snatch the bag of chips out of his hands.

"For the ride." I say and stuff it in my backpack.

"Hey give that back!" I just miss his chubby hands as I run down the parking lot. Even as I climb in and start the engine I can still hear his whines as Ino scolds him on how he doesn't need them anyway. Which is true of course. Somehow I just knew that a diet and Choji is like oil and vinegar. The two just don't mix right.

Placing my right arm on the back of the car seat, I turned around to check if everything was clear for me to back up. The last thing I needed-let alone wanted-was to total her car by backing into some other car. I've always seen it happen in movies-mostly comedies- but I know for a fact if I happened to actually do it, it would be no laughing matter. The absolute last thing I wanted was to buy coffee for Ino **and** tell her I screwed up her car.

So wheres my car you ask? It's sitting at the Volvo car dealership right now! It's shiny, it's silver, it's safe, and I want it! Unlike the rest of my friends, I didn't buy a rusty old used car as soon as I scrapped up the right amount of money. No, I wanted something better! My dad-not that I wanted to copy him or anything-drives a Volvo. He prides it on being the only car to have airbags in the windows. I guess I want to share that pride. So until then I've been catching rides with Ino-and in this case-borrowing it.

I'm so close to that Volvo I can almost feel it's rich leather interior already! That's another reason I put up with the smelly fish stench every Monday and Wednesday. My pay is pretty generous, considering the fact that I actually enjoy the job.

I work at the 'Deep Sea Aquarium' about thirty minutes from school and about forty minutes from my house. Sure the drive is pretty crazy, but just like the smell, it's definitely worth it.

The only thing about the long drive that I could do without is that it forces my mind to wonder. I can only focus solely on the road for so long. After awhile I begin to think about…things. Sometimes it's my dad…ick. Sometimes it's about Kiba…double ick! Sometimes it's about school and college…tolerable. But now my mind was beginning to think about something new. Something different.

Sasuke…**Puck**!

I still haven't mentioned him to Ino. Why? Well I really don't know. Before the whole Karin incident I was keeping him to myself because I like it that way. I liked the idea of Sasuke being my secret and mine alone. I liked the fact that even I, Haruno Sakura, could have a life no one else knew about. Sure, I'm no Hannah Montana, or a secret pole dancer by night and a regular school student by day. But I was still…different with him. I felt different.

But I was being played. Every minute-every damn second-I was being played with. Now that I've had a whole schools days worth of time to think about it, I guess I should have known.

I mean, why would Sasuke Uchiha want to be with me? A pink haired freak with family issues and a complete disgust for his favorite food?

"Taco's suck." I muttered under my breath and turn on the stereo.

Commercial…

Commercial…

Commercial-Oh for the love of God! Isn't there one freaking channel with music available?

Now I 'm keeping him a secret because I'm embarrassed. I mean, lets be honest, I totally fell him! Enough to get on that death machine of his with two wheels. Enough to get madly jealous whenever another girl even so much as smiled at him. Enough to dream about him at night. Enough to totally forget about my ex Kiba. And enough to be completely crushed when I finally realized everything was fake.

No, I wouldn't tell Ino. I'll go through my life pretending Uchiha Sasuke and I have never met. The only classes I have with him are first period science and gym. It may be hard to ignore him during science, since he sits right behind me and all. But gym should be easy enough. Most of the time girls are separated from the guys anyway. Plus Karin is in gym then too, so he'll be totally focused on her that period and I wont have to worry. Lunch is a no brainier. Just don't sit near him!

If he talks to me, I'll respond, but that's it.

If he asks me a question, I'll answer him, but not always truthfully.

If he ever flirts with me, I'll shoot him down like he was Lee.

But still…

"God…" I tighten my grip on the steering wheel and park in my usual spot. "I can't believe I actually miss him."


	12. Chapter 12 Job Gods?

**I'm so sorry for the long wait! But I made this ****really**** long! **

**I got an email from one of my reviewers asking for a LEMON. I should probably say right now that I'm not against the idea, but its not going to be for awhile. Plus a lot of my family reads this so….lol**

**Please review! The more reviews I get the faster I work! it's a well known facts hehe**

**VERY VERY IMPORATNT: The winner to the contest on what chapter 11 would be is…AshleyC! You've been a great reviewer and I loved your titled suggestion: Miss you hate you. I think it wraps it up very nicely lol**

**So the contest is officially closed! Hehe **

**I DO NOT OWN NARUTO…sheeesshhh**

***-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-***

Ch.12 Job gods?

_**Just keep swimming…just keep swimming…just keep swimming swimming swimming **_

_**-Dory from Finding Nemo**_

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

I climbed out of Ino's car in an odd mood and shut the door with my hip. Dark grey clouds covered the sky, but I was already expecting an evening shower so I packed a purse size umbrella in my work bag. A chilly breeze blew my bangs in all directions and I clung to my coat as if it could be ripped off from the wind.

I expertly avoided the little kid's stares as they watched my every move. It was like this everyday. The aquarium didn't open until five on week days and all the little kids spent most of their time after school waiting for the doors to open.

Climbing up the walkway-lined with forest green bushes, a rainbow of flowers and palm trees-I passed a few black marble statues of a smiling whale with his fin held up like a person would do with their thumbs. They usually made me laugh, but right now I wasn't in that kind of mood.

The Deep Sea aquarium is basically just one giant room-enough to hold an entire party-and surrounded by glass that serves not only as a wall but as part of the tank. Dead in the middle of the room is a floor to ceiling cylinder tank that holds the smaller fish. Like Clown fish and the Blue tang. If you don't know what those are-first get a brain scan- then watch finding Nemo.

As a kid, mom used to bring me hear for birthdays, and instead of playing Pin the tail on the donkey or Duck duck goose we'd play Pin the fin on the dolphin and Crab crab mermaid! Of course when I was little I hardly ever partook in the activities. No, I was to busy clutching to my mom's leg while I watched the colorful fish and the occasional stingray swim by. They always looked so graceful, even when a red haired kid like me was starring them.

Have you ever had a place from your childhood that you can just…close your eyes and imagine, and you can just feel a blanket of warmth and happiness surround you? Well this place was my happy blanket! Right after that is Libby Lu and right after that is my old karate dojo from when I was just a toddler. I'm pretty sure the program was called Little ninjas in diapers. Or was it Little kickers with mommy? I really should know this…

I forced a tiny smile on my lips as I entered the building. No need to worry anyone.

Sasuke is…a….well, I don't really know at the moment. But I do know one thing, the Uchiha wasn't going to ruin my day at work.

"Just a little bit longer guys!" I called over my shoulder at the kids bouncing on the tips of their toes in excitement. Some faces I could recognize, others were completely new.

As soon as I entered the building my skin took on an aquamarine blue and my hair a tinted purple. Because every light from the ceiling was either a sea foam green or deep ocean blue. It gave the entire room an under water effect that never failed to calm me down.

A few lucky kids-that I'm sure boss let in only because they had extra money-were lined up at the far end of the room, where a large portion of the floor was made out of glass. Baby hammer heads swam just beneath. They stay there until they grow to big then they are let out into the wild. So I guess it's kind of like a nursery. But still…I think it's safe to say I hardly ever enter **that** tank.

I made my way over to a ceiling length glass wall and tapped lightly on the tank with my nail.

Winnie, my favorite starfish, was sucked to the wall just above my head.

Nitalli, a spotted eel, was expertly hidden in one of the artificially built caves but I was good at finding her.

And Joey, a white and black spotted stingray, was digging into the tan sand for something to eat. But they weren't exactly who I was looking for.

No, I was looking for one of the oldest inhabitants here. I remember from when I was still a kid, walking along the glass walls while he swam slowly yet gracefully just on the other side. Like two friends taking a stroll. Or in his case, a swim.

He's extremely handsome….

He's simply majestic…..

He's seventy years old….

He's Prince Delos!

A ninety pound sea turtle who was just a hair from death in the wild. The details weren't exactly set in stone, but most think he'd been attacked by a reef or tiger shark and just missed being dinner. He was lucky. Damn lucky…

"There you are big man." I mumbled as my eyes softened at the mere the sight of him. The love I felt for Delos is the same love some people would have for their long time friend or pet Labrador Retriever.

This was just something Ino couldn't understand. And probably never will. She just didn't get it I guess. But sea creatures are just as fascinating as Ino's new pair of boots or half off nail polish. If not more…

"There're water breathers…big deal." Ino had said once. But I beg to differ.

Liam the crab was just as feisty as any stray cat out in the streets.

Poppy the Puffer fish was just as temper mental was a pet parrot.

And I'm sure Prince Delos would be just as loyal as a German Shepard if he had to be.

Delos flew through the water as he swooped down to my level and I rested my palm against the tank, fingers spread.

He gave me a side look almost to say, _'Come and join me, unless your to scared'_ then slowly swam away. A smile spread on my lips and I took the challenge without a second thought. My feet worked on their own and I half ran to the locker-room.

Next thing I knew I was in the water, sinking a few feet with each kick. My clothes had been replaced with a black and blue swimsuit that fit me like a second skin and a pair of square shaped goggles that helped me see. An oxygen tank was strapped to my back but I chose not to use it. It was a rule to always have one on, but I liked holding my breath and seeing how long I could swim along with the **real **mermaids of the sea until I had to go back up for air.

As soon as I hit the water, sea creatures from all direction came swarming in. But I didn't flatter myself, I knew they all just wanted food.

Reaching into my pockets I pulled out a hand full of orange fish pellets and placed them around me like a halo, suppressing an underwater laugh as fish in all sizes swam around me going for the food. It was like being stuck in a rainbow carnival or a multi-colored tornado.

Finally the storm of fish dispersed and I was free to sink a bit deeper. My lungs were already aching for air but I knew I could hold it for just a bit longer.

Looking over my shoulder I caught sight of Delos and his followers of blue tang fish trailing behind him. Fish in his way seemed to make room for his giant body to float by. He truly was prince of this tiny sea. But not the king. Not yet anyway.

Speak of the devil, I thought as a monstrous shadow ran across the sea floor. I looked up, and there, like a giant eclipse, was Morgead. A 4,000 pound, 23 foot long Manta ray! A.k.a **King Hunter.**

He swam even more gracefully than Prince Delos. Like a cloud floating across the sky. A big…**big** cloud. But I wasn't afraid. Why would I? He was even more gentle than Delos. A gentle, fair and humble king. His name was just that…a name.

I followed him up, brushing my fingers over his smooth, almost velvety skin, than came up for air.

"Your starting to look like part of the reef Sakura!" A familiar voice called from the edge of the tank. It was tamed yet powerful, the voice of a strong and successful women. I guess if Hunter was the king then she would be the Queen. Since she owned the place and all. Everyone, meet my **boss,** Tsunade! She smirked, "Pink hair huh?"

I swept my damp bangs out from my eyes and pushed the goggles up my forehead so I could see her clearly. "It was sort of a crazy idea." I said with a small blush. "Do you like it?"

She crouched at the edge of the tank, her blonde hair in two pig tails that even a grown women like her could pull off. Her eyes were a deep and warm brown. "It works for you. But I still liked your red hair better."

I sighed, one thing about Tsunade was that she could never give a straight compliment.

"You think you can come in my office for a sec? I want to talk before we open up." She asked, dumping a bucket of fish guts into the tank and I squealed as Hunter and his big body came racing to the surface. Tsunade laughed and patted his back as he swam by, engulfing the pink (you don't wanna' know what) in one gulp.

"Sure thing." I climbed out easily, something I learned how to do after working here for so long, and tossed my goggles in the corner.

"Hey!" Bailey Snow-one of the many employees-huffed. "You almost hit me."

"Sorry!" I called, not really paying any attention, and slipped off my flippers. This time watching where I threw them and **purposely** hitting her.

Her stuck her tounge out at me playfully and tossed a dead fish at my haed. I easily dogded and it fell in the water with a _plop_. I think its safe to say that Bailey and I have a love-hate relationship.

"Be nice." Tsunade warned with a chuckle.

"Sakura, nice?" Bailey smiled and sat beside me. She was just getting suited up, tying her hair in a high bun. Her milky brown bangs were in a straight cut across her forehead and her misty blue eyes made her look younger than she really was.

"Being nice is overrated." I nudged her in the shoulder and when Tsunade left the room I crossed my legs under me Indian style and said in a muffled voice, "_You_ know what she wants to talk to me about. Right?"

She smirked, "How could I not. You've been talking about it all month."

"Yeah but I never thought it would happen so fast!" I pulled my hair out from it pony tail and shook it like a wet dog. My new pink hair fell in tangled weeds down my back.

"I'm not really that surprised. I mean you're her favorite. Why wouldn't she make you manager?" Bailey asked, slipping into the tank and treaded the water so that just her head could be seen.

"Favorite?" I tried to paly dumb. "I wonder why?"

"Har har har." She splashed me and lowered her goggles. "Just don't expect anyone to listen to you. Your still the youngest one here and will be treated as such."

"Watch it or I just might fire you." We both knew I was joking.

I was standing up and turning on my heel, when Bailey shouted something that made me blush cherry red, "Love the hair!"

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

I didn't bother changing since I was sure I'd be back in the tank helping Bailey feed in a few minutes. I mean, how long could it take?

I could just imagine it now!

"_Sakura you may be the youngest emplyee here but your also the one I can trust the most. I'm happy to say that your our new Manager!"_

Oh yeah! I rock!

Tsunade's office was in the back of the locker room and closed off with a bright red door. There was a sign that read _"Don't forget the REDS!" _The 'reds' were the video camera's watching us, taping us, during everything we do. Company policy I guess. But everyone was aware of it, especially as we changed. Yeah…talk about uncomfortable.

I knocked on the door before turning the knob and entering a small room made out of drywall and wooden shelves painted in blue. But they were barely visable since the walls were covered in pictures from over the years.

I was in one of them, actually two. One from when I first met her and I still had short red hair and I still thought Santa Claus existed. I wasn't looking at the camera, no I was way to shy for that back then. Instaed I was staring shyly at the ground with a chocloce ice-cream bar in my mouth.

The other picture was different. A graet deal of time had passed. My hair was still red, but it was long and pulled back in a head band. This time I was looking straight into the camera and I was smiling with the kind of confidence that I forgot I had. I was sitting on the egde of the tank with one arm around Bailey while her arm was draped over my shoulder. It was my first day of work and I remember thinking I was the luckiest girl alive!

"You wanted to speak with me Boss?" I decided not to take a seat on one of the chairs since I was still parcially wet and Tsunade didn't protest. They were real leather after all.

"Yes I did." She crossed her legs and pulled out a slip of paper from one of the shelves before handing it to me.

I took it automatically. It was folded in half and I gave her a questioning look before unfolding it. "A check?" I asked.

"Yes. It's your paycheck for the last 2 weeks." She answered and there was something in her voice that I couldn't understand. She sounded tired.

"But I'm not supposed to get paid until next week." I brought in my eyebrows confusingly. "Why are you paying me now?"

"Sakura." Tsunade sighed then looked at me with stone eyes. "I'm paying you now because I'm letting you go."

I mouthed a slient 'what?' then I said more loudly, "Why?"

"We both knew this job wasn't set in stone. I'm sorry Sakura, but I hired someone else and he'll be replacing you."

"Replaceing…me…" I said slowly.

Tsunade nodded. "You are a very talented young lady. Finding a new job will be a piece of cake."

"New…job?" I eched her.

_Manager my ass._

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

I sped through the open highway at an illegal speed. Cars disappeared in my rearview mirror faster than I would have liked if I wasn't so **frustrated**. Yeah…that's the word. Because I wasn't angry. Maybe I was still to shocked to feel it yet. All I knew was that I was **not** in the mood to be stuck in taffic. So I raced the clock before rush hour.

I cant believe this! I thought angrily. I…just…got…fired!

Or as Tsunade would like to call it: **Let go**. Seriously boss (or former boss) save me the crap! You just fired me.

Who the hell was her replacment anyway? That's what bothered her the most. She not only had been fired, but she had also been **replaced**. As in Tsunade found someone better than her. That hurt more than she thought it would. Kind of like this morning….

I sure feel like I did this morning…like in the bathroom. Karin had been on top of Sasuke and that hurt almost as much as this. Jeez, how much betrayal can one girl take in one day?

And to think I walked right in there thinking I was getting a **promation**. I had to laugh at that.

Get a grip! I pulled out of the freeway and immediately forced myself to slow it down a bit. I knew the kids here, and most of their parents. Like for instance, Shikamaru's dad is chief of police and he loves catching female teens, if you catch my drift. He's sure to pull me over.

So lets think this through…

So far I've gotten dumped…ugh

I've fallen for someone only to figure out he's just as I thought he was. A big fat player!

Third, I still have feelings for the same idiot with deep dark eyes and messy black hair…

Fourth, I got fired from the only job I've ever had and-or ever wanted…

Dads **maybe**-_possibly_-not so sure yet-cheating on mom

The list went on and on and started shooting out at me, one after the other. And I kept on swinging at them with a mental baseball bat only to strike out every time. Whoever the pitcher in my imaginary baseball game was, sure new how to throw a wicked curve ball. Because I knew I would lose no matter how hard I tried.

I hadn't realized I was crying until the setting sun began to blur in pink and orange streaks and the car in front of me was beginning to leave focus. I cant drive like this, I thought, and pulled into the first exit there was. The last thing I needed was to add a wrecked car to my depressing list of issues.

Ino would kill me if I ended up driving her car in with so much as a scratch. Let alone a dented bumper. The thought of Ino gave me some relief. She can help me through this! I reached into my back pocket for my phone and frowned when I came out empty. I checked my other pockets and began to breath franticly.

"Where's my phone!" I shouted out, unbuckling my seatbelt and twisted around in my seat. No phone No phone No-

I slumped in my seat as I remembered where I left it. My locker. My work locker. I was in such a rush to get out of there I just changed clothes and ran…

But that would mean I'd have to go back. I'd have to face boss and Bailey…

And I'll probably end up meeting my replacement too…

That did it! That opened up the flood gates. I let my face fall in my hands as a sob broke from my throat.

I feel weak. Like a little kid again. I feel very very **very** weak.

Her pink hair fell in her eyes as she leaned her forhead on the steering wheal. Kiba never saw her new hair. He was absent or something…

Well theres one thing to look forward to. The look on Kiba's face when he see's my hair.

I didn't want him back. No, I was far from that. All I wanted right now was to get him back. Someone once told that Revenge was bad…I don't agree with that person.

How else can people like me-who cant just 'let things go'-get there closure?

I sat back up and wiped my eyes.

No more crying Saki, Ino would say, it's all going to be fine.

How do you know that? I played the conversation out in my head. That's how bad I needed my bubble butt best friend at the time.

Because I know you, you've been through worse, Ino would say, your stronger now because of it.

She has a point….I shook my head furiously.

Okay enough with the imaginary conversations! Pick yourself up and drive home. Tomorrow you'll go job hunting and show boss-I mean Tsunade-what your made of!

I jammed the key in the ignition with a new confidence and started the engine. It purred to life and I checked my rearview mirrors to make sure everything was clear.

That's when I saw it….

The Uchiha Hair shop!

I hadn't realized I parked in this part of town, I thought with a confused blink. Then something caught my eye. As if the job gods had purposely made me cry so I would park here. Were there such things as job gods?

Anyway, if there were, then they sure were looking out for me!

Because there, in the Uchiha shop window was a sign with these following words in big red lettering:

**HELP WANTED!**


	13. Chapter 13 Someone special

_**I made this chapter very very veryyyy long! I think you guys disserve it! **_

_**I have a feeling you guys will be squealing at the end too hehe**_

_**I do not own Naruto…duh!**_

_***-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-***_

_Ch.13 Someone special_

"_**True love is not about the hugs and kisses, the 'I love you's' or the 'I miss you's', but about the chills that hit every part of your spine when you think about him."-Lauren P**_

Was this a good idea? Oh who am I kidding! Of course it wasn't!

This is Sasuke's grandmother's shop! This women gave birth to Sasuke's father! Well, that's kind of what grandmother means…but still.

Anyway, your playing with fire Sakura, I thought as I crossed the grey asphalt parking lot. 

The hair shop was part of a long strip of stores. Currently it was in-between a pet care store and a dry cleaners. If worse comes to worse I could just quick change my direction and hide in one of those stores for a bit…

But no! I wanted to do this. I needed a job! My sexy silver Volvo, my college fund, my **whole **future depended on it! Okay…I guess I was being bit melodramatic, but I think I had a right to be! I mean…I was about to do something really **big**!

I stepped onto the cement**/**sidewalk that ran down the strip and glanced into the Uchiha hair shop windows. It looked exactly as it did this weekend. I don't know why, but I expected it to look scary somehow. But no, it was still bright, with white tile floors and pretty posters of even prettier women with different hair styles.

Grandma Uchiha was at the check out counter, dressed in casual jean pants and a puffy pink top. A blonde women, who's face I couldn't see since her back was turned to me, was talking with wild gestures. I could tell from the window that the women was high class, her nails looked more pricey than Ino's car!

Last chance Sakura, I thought. You can still run for it! 

But imagine what boss's-I mean Tsunade's- face will look like when you pick up your phone later tonight. Imagine what she'll have to say when she finds out you've already found a new job! Imagine what it'll feel like for **you**!

That made up my mind. I entered the store and little chimes went off. Why did they sound like warnings? Oh Sakura stop trying to freak yourself out!

The shop was warm, thank god! It was so rainy and miserable outside, and the shop made me feel better. Grandma was still talking with the blonde women, so I figured I could wait. It sure was warm enough.

Slipping my coat off I tied it securely around my waist before heading for the back. This was where I first saw Sasuke…

I was right here…

Neon hair colors lined the wall and posters of Avril lavigne were everywhere. I wonder if grandma even knew she was a pop star…I smiled, probably not.

"But Wendy, I'm perfectly fit for this job." I didn't recognize the voice, it was a high soprano and it sure wasn't grandma's. I figured it must be the blonde women's. "I've been a hair dresser for five years at Regis!"

"Regis?" That was grandma, no doubt about it, "You mean that place with the outrageous prices?"

**Outrageous** prices was right. I've seen the inside of a Regis once or twice, but that's all. There's one in my town mall and the only reason I knew that was because Ino's mom loved the place. Regis was fancy and expensive. I mean…it was decked out with marble floors and crystal chandeliers. All the hair dressers were usually attractive and wore matching black uniforms. I've never actually been there though, like grandma said, the place was way over the top. Prices, atmosphere, everything! No wonder this women looked so high class.

"The prices aren't that bad." I could here the aggravation in the blonde women's voice as she tried to defend herself, "You get wonderful service."

Wonderful service? Did she mean…flirt?

Grandma's train of thought was similar to mine. "Sorry sweaty, but I'm not interested in you."

Harsh…but that was grandma Uchiha for you.

"Your certain you can't change your mind? I'd be great here. I can offer help, and I'm a superb sales women."

"I'm sure you are…" I could here the smirk in grandma's voice. "But I'm certain this isn't the job for you."

Ouch…grandma didn't need to say so, but it was audible in her voice. What she really meant was she was certain she didn't **want** her.

"Well you don't have to tell me twice." I caught the women's figure in my peripheral vision. She stalked out of the room like a wanna' be model, her high heels going _clack clack clack _on the tile floor. I could hear grandma's amused chuckled up front.

I hesitated. Well that was…nice.

I could see why grandma would turn the blonde women down. But I also felt nervous. If grandma wouldn't hire a well experienced hair dresser, who-like she directly pointed out-could offer professional advice, and sell sell sell….then why would she want to hire me?

I was no where near professional. Not in hair anyway. I only knew what Ino had drilled into me over the years. And as for selling…well I've never had much experience. I sold Lemonade in grade school, but that was easy, and mom was the one who handled the money.

Well you still should try.

I headed back up to the front of the store before anyone else came in and forced all my doubts into a deep, dark cellar. They wouldn't help me anyway, and I really really **really** wanted this job!

As I approached the check out desk I hesitated. What should I call her? I was so used to calling her grandma…but that was only in my head. She had told me to call her grandma, but maybe she wasn't being serious. I should just call her Wendy. That's what the other women called her. Wendy Uchiha…that was really pretty.

"Excuse me Mrs. Uchiha?" I decided to be formal, "Do you remember me?"

Grandma looked up from a magazine and rested her cheek in the palm of her hand with a smile. "Of course I remember you. I must say pink is your color."

I touched my hair in surprise, I just kept forgetting about that. Pink hair…I wonder if Grandma would think that was unprofessional?

"Thank you." I felt awkward just standing there, so I played with my hands behind my back.

"But you know…" She paused, narrowing her eyes, "I'd love to see some blonde too. Maybe highlights? No no…that's not it. How about underneath. Pink on top and blonde on the bottom."

I blinked in surprise. That was actually a really good idea. I smirked, "Your good."

"I know." She shrugged in a 'no more applause please' kind of way. "So what brings you back here so soon? Your roots can't be showing already."

"There not. I was actually-" I hesitated, "Well I saw your sign up front and I was-" Oh jeez stop pausing! "I was wondering-"

"You've got the job!" Grandma's comment was so sure and without doubts, that It left me standing there, blinking, and trying to figure out what I missed. Just a few seconds ago I was stuttering like a little kid. Last time I checked that wasn't exactly employee material…

"I've…got…the…are you sure?" I had never felt so surprised in my life. But this was a good surprise. And I felt light and tingly all over. 

Grandma nodded, "I liked you from the moment I saw you. Your perfect."

"But…I…the women from before…she worked at Regis! That's a really big place! A rich place."

"Maybe so-" She seemed amused at my amazement, "But she never would have lasted here. She's to snooty and I would have ended up firing her. I know who I can get along with-" She pointed at the window, "And she wasn't one of them."

"That **does **make sense-" I stopped, realizing I was thinking out loud. 

Then it finally hit me…I **did** it. I actually did it! I got the job! I got a new job the day I was fired. 

Take that Tsunade! Take that my faceless replacement! **Take that world! **

I smiled brilliantly, "Thank you Mrs. Uchiha, thank you so much!" 

I was lunging for her before I knew what I was really doing, and wrapped my arms around her shoulders in a bear hug. "Oh thank you! Thank you!"

She returned the embrace with a couple pats on the back and I pulled back with a heavy blush and muttered a 'sorry'.

"Don't worry about it dear." She was smirking, it reminded me so much of Sasuke. "Now before you leave…I need your name."

I let out a laugh, "It's Sakura. Sakura Haruno."

"Hmm." She smiled. "That's a very nice name. And fitting." She didn't need to say it out loud for me to know what she meant by that. She was talking about my hair. Sakura meant cheery blossom. And cherry blossoms were pink…caught the connection? 

Good for you!

"Now for your hours…" She taped her cheek with an American flag pen. "It'll have to be after school of course."

"I can work any day of the week. Any day except Tuesdays. I go to a cooking club right after school."

"Interested in food huh?" She stopped taping her cheek and smirked.

I winced, "Yeah I guess so." Which was a lie. Kiba and I joined the club in the beginning of the year because I thought we needed more time together. Now I was stuck. Insert frowny face here: =(

"Well how does every Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Sundays sound? Because you cant work on Friday or Saturday."

"I never said that. I can work on the weekends."

"No you cant." She gave me a scolding look. "Fridays and Saturdays are date nights." She said with a wiggle of her eyebrows.

A blush crept on my cheeks, "I won't be having to many date nights…trust me."

"Don't be silly." Whacked me over the head with her pen. "You'll have plenty of dates! A girl as gorgeous as you always does."

"Gorgeous?" Did she need glasses?

She nodded, "So we both agree that date nights must be left open? Good!"

She never let me protest.

"Hmm lets see-" She looked heavenward with a thoughtful expression. "If you work four days a week for lets say…four hours a day…your pay should be around eighty. But when you include taxes…sixty. How does that sound dear? Does sixty a weak sound good?"

I was very aware that my jaw was hanging agape, but I couldn't help it. Sixty bucks a week? "That's to much."

"What are you talking about?" She smirked, "If anything it's to **little**. But if you think your up to the challenge you can work for a raise."

I bit my lip, "Four hours a day? Your sure you don't want me to work longer hours?"

"Well on Sunday you can work all day for all I care. But I don't want to run you in the ground. You need to make your education number one after all."

I was nodding along with her as she spoke. And I realized something about Grandma. Something I figured earlier, but now it was perfectly clear and obvious. Grandma cared about people. Really truly **cared. **Sure, she could be tough, but if you were lucky enough she'd look out for you like a lioness protects her young. I was one of those lucky people. This epiphany left me wanting to reach over the counter and hug her again.

"Close up your mouth before a colony of bees makes itself at home." She pursed her lips.

I closed my mouth and blushed, "Sorry."

"Sorry this, sorry that." She waved her hand as if to swat a fly. "I can tell you one thing, I hate that word. As long as your under my roof the word 'sorry' is off limits. Capeesh?"

"Sorr- I mean…yes ma'am." Yeah she definitely reminded me of a lioness. "So I'll see you Wednesday at what time?"

"Right after school." She said, then pursed her lips. "Actually no…you don't mind driving by Subway for me first do you? I'll pay you ten dollars extra everyday if you pick me up lunch and then come to work."

I nodded, "Okay. I don't mind that."

She smiled brilliantly. "Great! Just pick me up a ham sandwich with mayo and you'll have your ten dollars."

I took a couple steps backward toward the door, and teased "What, no chips?"

She waved me off, "If I get chips then your paying for it."

"I'll see you Wednesday Mrs. Uchiha." I said with a laugh.

"Wait!" She caught me with half my foot out the door. "I thought I told you before. It's grandma."

I bit my lip to keep from smiling, "I'll see you Wednesday **grandma**."

"Have fun at your cooking club Sakura." I heard her say as I left. The way she said it bothered me, almost like I was missing the joke. But I just shrugged it off and happily made my way to Ino's car.

Next stop, some **major** gloating! 

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

The way I see it…I've got a couple options. One, I could waltze right in and scream at the top of my lungs "I'VE GOT A JOB!" 

Or two, I could go with a more subtle approach. I could walk right in Tsunades office and tell her face to face. This way seemed less attention grabbing. But who was to say I didn't want to make a scene?

But of course, knowing me, I went with the latter. 

I strode up the walkway. The Deep sea aquarium looked just like this morning. Expect that the sun had set and stars sparkled the sky. 

I knew from experience that things were closed up already, but there would still be people cleaning up. Whale figures gave me the thumbs up sign and big toothy grins, flowers were placed everywhere covering the ground in bright colors, it all looked exactly the same. But it **felt** different. This wasn't my happy place anymore. How could it be?

I hesitated at the door. For some reason I was nervous. Like something inside me knew I shouldn't be here. But that's ridiculous, I thought to myself, I've got to get my phone at some point…why not now?

That made up my mind. With a determined node I set my jaw tight and chanted encouragements in my head. I think I can…I think I can…I think can…

Hey? Wasn't that a book about a train?

Anyway, I opened the glass doors and was immediately hit with sadness. I got a new job, but not **the** job. This was my dream. Now I was fired. Let go…replaced.

Get a grip! I'm happy. Very very happy! But I knew it was a lie.

The aquarium was dark. Most of the lights had been turned off to save energy so all the light came from the tank. I truly felt underwater here. But I was drowning…

"Sakura?" I swirled around to face Bailey. Her hair was let down and curly from being under seawater all day. She was dressed in white jeans and an oversized t-shirt. Probably getting ready to clock out for the day. "Oh my god, Sakura, are you crying?"

I touched my cheeks, and was surprised to feel a dampness. I **was **crying. "Um, no...no it's just the lights."

"Uh no…your crying!" She lunged for me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders. "I heard what happened. I'm so sorry Sakura. Really I am."

I let out a shaky laugh, "It's no biggie." Which was also a lie. But I hadn't come here to get pity. I came here to make sure everyone knew I was okay. To rub it in a little bit too. 

"I don't believe you." Bailey held me at arms length, examining me.

"Well you should because…because I've already got a job!" I smiled brightly. 

"Are you serious? But you were just…let go." She starred at me in shock, but I could see the admiration in her eyes. It gave me the boost I needed.

"I told you I'm amazing." We both let out a laugh. "And it's closer to home so I don't have to waste so much money on gas."

She shook her head with a smile, finally letting me go. "You're a force not to be reckoned with Sakura. There's no doubt about that. I can't believe you've already got a new job. I'm so proud of you!"

Sometimes it's hard to remember that Bailey is almost a full seven years older than me. But when she starts saying stuff that has to do with "proud" it reminds me. She's an adult. Engaged to someone, probably thinking of children. She belonged here. I was only seventeen and so much younger than everyone else. Maybe…just maybe…losing this job was good for me.

"Listen Bailey," I hesitated, "I left my cell in my…my **old** locker. Do you know if my replacement has showed up yet? Because she's probably turned it into the lost and found by now."

Bailey let out a laugh and it left me confused. "What?"

"Sakura, your not going to believe this but…your replacement is a **guy**." She laughed as my jaw dropped.

Finally I was able to speak through my shock. "Your kidding me? But Tsunade has never hired a male employee before! Everyone who works here are girls."

Bailey shrugged, "Yeah I know. Ever since Tsunade's divorce she's hated anything male. But she hired this younger boy. Probably around your age. And let me tell you, I am **not **changing in the locker room anymore. I'll just use the bathroom. I don't care if its more of a hassle. I wont change when a horny teenage boy is in the same room."

I took all this in slowly. 

Bailey had a point. Things would definitely change around here. Everyone who worked here were females, so we usually just changed out in the locker room. No males, so no need for changing rooms. But now Tsuanade had mixed things up. 

"Have you met the new replacement yet? Do you know his name at least?"

Bailey shook her head. "I've seen him. Buts that's all. I'm pretty sure he hasn't claimed your locker yet. So your phones probably still there."

I sighed in relief, " That's good."

"Well anyway, I've got to get going." She gave me another hug. This one was longer. We both stayed quiet since we both knew we probably weren't going to see each other again for awhile. "Brian and I are going out to dinner so I cant stay to much longer." 

"Oh really?" I wiggled my eyebrows, "What about after?"

"Oh jeez!" She shoved me and I laughed at her back as she left.

Just like that I said goodbye to a very good friend. 

My throat felt tight as I made my way to the locker-room. But I refused to cry. 

I nodded to a few other employees. All of them smiled back but none of them were as close to me as Bailey had been. They probably hadn't even heard that I'd been replaced yet.

I passed my locker without actually opening it, figuring I'd just retrieve my stuff after I was done with Tsunade. Glancing up at the reds I was surprised to think that I'd miss them. Who knew you could miss something electronic…

Don't be silly, the reds aren't the only things you'll miss. You'll miss King hunter. You'll miss Prince Delos….

"Tsunade?" I knocked on the door and pushed it open all the way. Since it was already left ajar it wasn't hard. "Can we talk?"

Tsunande was already at her desk, working on some paper work. The look on her face surprised me. She looked so shocked to see me. Well I guess I would be shocked too if the person I just fired came back late at night.

"Sakura? What are you-"

"I just wanted to let you know that I'm not mad anymore." I interrupted her. But inside I was screaming **what…the…hell! **Of course your mad! But I didn't have the energy to yell at her. And I wasn't going to rub anything in. 

Funny how a person can change there mind in just a matter of seconds. But I'm also glad I did. If I had come in here and rubbed things in the way I had wanted to, I'd gain nothing other than look…childish. 

"I've already got a new job closer to home." I smiled as Tsunade's jaw dropped. "So I just came here to let you know that I'm not going to hold any grudges. That's below me."

Tsuande slowly stood, and we starred dead into each others eyes. In many ways I owed this women. She gave me my first job. She helped my mom raise me, watching me when my mom worked and my dad was out of town…as usual.

"Good for you." Tsuande smiled smally. "I'm proud of you."

"You're the second person to say that to me today."

Tsuande nodded, " I'm sorry I fired you Sakura." I winced and Tsuande realized her slip. "I mean I'm sorry I replaced you."

I gulp down all the spit in my mouth. "Can I still come here to see Prince Delos? I'm going to miss him."

"Of course." Tsuande seemed to love the idea. "He'll miss you too I'm sure. Come by any time."

I smiled sheepishly, "No charge?"

Tsuanade sighed, "Don't push it."

We both laughed. In many ways this turned out better than I thought it would. I was going to leave here with my cell phone **and **my dignity.

"Goodbye Tsuande." I reached across the desk and gave her a hug, a hug she quickly returned.

"Come here as soon as you can…for Delos"

I smiled and nodded, she didn't have to actually say anything. I knew what she really meant. Come here as soon as you can…for me.

Waving, I closed the door behind me with a sigh. I leaned against the door and starred at the ground with a blank expression. 

So it was official. I was no longer working at the Deep Sea aquarium anymore.

But in some ways I felt better. Really I did! Like I finally got some closure. Hell only knows I needed it.

I lifted my head slowly, looking around, I was so tired. So it took me a couple seconds to realize what I was looking at. Or more specifically…**who** I was looking at.

A tall and handsome boy, around my age, with spiky black hair and dark as night eyes. He was at **my **old locker, starring at **my** phone in his hand with a confused expression.

I could hear his thoughts as if he were muttering them out loud.

_Who's phone is this?_

_Why is it in my locker?_

It dawned on me then…like a pile of bricks falling from the sky. My mouth fell open and my eyes rimmed with tears.

How dare he!

"What the hell!" I didn't scream it like I wanted to, it was dark and low. Maybe in some ways it sounded scarier that way. But all I could think about was how mad…no, how **furious** I was!

My replacement looked over at me in surprise, as if I shocked him out of his thoughts. His dark blue eyes zeroed in on me as I marched over to him. My fist clenched and my jaw tight. It took everything I had not to cry!

I finally feel okay about being fired and **this** happens?

"I cant believe this!" I halted at his feet, so I had to look up to meet his eyes. Damn it all, why did he have to be so tall?

"Pinkete?" He glanced at the phone then back down at me. "This is your phone?"

I reached out and angrily snatched it from his hand. He winced then spoke slowly, "So if that was your phone then…this was your locker…which probably mean-"

"Probably?" I growled. "There's no 'probably' about it! **You…stole…my…job**!"

"Sakura I didn't know-"

"Oh? So now your using my real name? Well that's good because I don't want you to confuse me with one of your girlfriends." I let out a laugh, but it wasn't very joyful…trust me. "As if I didn't have enough reasons to **hate** you!"

"Wo…hate me?" He took a step back but I moved in on him, getting in his face.

"Yes Sasuke, hate. I hate you! You played me like a doll. For some reason I fell for it, and I was left to catch you and Karin in pre-sex."

His face went pale, "You saw that?"

I growled. "You were out in the open at **my** school. Anyone could have seen you. A teacher, another student. But no…it had to be me. Things just always happen to work out that way."

"Sakura-" He reached out for me, but if he thought I was going to let his slimy fingers anywhere near me then he was dead wrong!

"Don't touch me Uchiha!" I took a step back. "You know, I don't even know why I'm so mad at you. Sure you took my job. I'm pissed about that. But I'm even more furious with you over this morning. I shouldn't be, because I knew you had a girlfriend. I should have known I was only screwing myself."

"Will you just let me talk?" He was beginning to get angry. Probably because I was screaming at him now. Tsuande's room was sound proof or else I'm sure she would have come to see what was going on by now.

"Why should I?" I got on the tips of my toes so we were eye to eye. "I don't usually let people I **hate** talk."

He grabbed me by the shoulders and it took me by surprise. It left me starring at him dumbly as he shouted back.

"Karin was my girlfriend this morning. You saw me with my **girlfriend**. She was the girl I bought black hair dye for. But you know what? Ever since last night I haven't been able to stop thinking about you. And it's scaring the shit out of me!" The way he looked in my eyes kept me quiet as he took a breath. "I've never really cared to much about girls. I liked what I saw on the outside and ignored whatever was in the inside. But you were different. Your damn cute, but you also make me want to keep you talking!"

He slowly let me go and I didn't run. I felt like I'd been struck by lightning. No one had ever looked at me the way he was looking into my eyes right now. Like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time. It left me speechless.

This time he spoke more softly, "This morning I met up with Karin. I thought maybe if I…if I had sex with her than I'd finally forget about you. But it didn't work. I had to stop things before I even took her bra off, because I felt sick to my stomach. That's when I broke up with her."

"Broke up with her?" My voice surprised me. It was small and fragile, like a mouse.

"Yeah." He let out a shaky laugh. "Then next thing I know your not talking to me. Do you have any idea what that did to me? It gave me the insane idea that if I worked where you worked I could get close to you again. I asked around, found this place, and got a job. I had no idea I was taking your job though."

A blush crept on my cheeks, but that wasn't what I was paying any attention too. 

It was the deep feeling in my stomach. It gave me goose bumps and I fought a smile. It left me all tingly inside and if it wasn't for the fact that Sasuke was standing right there beside me…I would have spun around in circles singing!

I felt like I **finally** finished a long run. Like I found my flying companion. Like I found a person to listen to my stories no matter how many times I've told them. Like I found someone to agree with me even when I was wrong. Like I found someone really special.

I squashed the feeling though. I still didn't have proof. And there was no way I was going to set myself up for another heart brake.

"So you took my job to be with me?" I bit my lip to keep from laughing. Look how messy things had gotten. Now look at how wonderful they felt…

"Well It didn't turn out the way I thought it would but…yeah, I did."

"Kay." I nodded, still trying to sort things out.

"Pinkette?" My heart flipped at my nickname. It suddenly didn't bother me anymore. In fact, I loved it. I guess deep down I always had. 

"Hm?" I looked up into his eyes. They were wide open like a child's. I could see him, the real him. I could see he was just a handsome boy with an arrogant smirk. I could see that he was being honest. I could see very far, and very deep. And I saw me. My pink hair, my green eyes, and my creamy skin. I was beautiful. Grandma was right. And Sasuke agreed with her one hundred percent!

He leaned in and smirked. I had no idea how much I missed that tiny little 'sure of himself' smirk. "Will you go out with me?"

I couldn't help it anymore. I smiled. I smiled so big and wide and I let out a shaky laugh. "What?"

"You heard me." He smirked and brushed his nose along my cheek. He was starring at my mouth. Was he planning on kissing me? Yeah…yeah he definitely was. And I had never felt so sure of myself. I wanted to say yes. I would have said yes, if it wasn't for the sound of my old boss clearing her throat.

Sasuke jerked back and I swirled around to face the office. Tsunade was leaning with her hip on the wall and her eyebrows raised. She looked very very **very** amused.

"Not in here people." She gave me a knowing stare. 

"Mrs. Tsunade." I heard Sasuke behind me. Oh how I loved his voice. It was deep, but smooth, and I could tell he was looking at me. "I think I should quite my job here.

That caught me off guard. "No you shouldn't." I gasped, turning back to face him. "You wanted this job." I gave him a smirk, the smirk that he taught me. "Now you have it."

"But I- well you see.." He gave me a pained look. I knew what it meant. It meant, I only wanted this job to be nearer to you. 

"Well to bad." I muttered so that only he could here. I already had a job. A great job with a great women. 

Suddenly I knew I wanted it too. I wanted to work with grandma. I wanted to work at the Uchiha hair shop! So Sasuke would stay here whether he liked it or not. He sure caused enough pain for me. I don't care if it wasn't intentional. I was still going to make him squirm. 

"But why would you want to quite?" Tsuande looked confused. She didn't know what I knew.

He glanced down at me for help. Ha! "This was Sakura's job first." 

"Oh but that's okay." I ignored the glare he sent me. He'd forgive me. "I've already got a job. So I'm good."

"Are you sure?" Tsunade asked.

"Absolutely." I gave Sasuke a smirk and he gulped, catching on fast.

"Well then I'll see you tomorrow Sasuke." Tsuande said before slipping back in her office. "Goodnight you two."

"Night." I wasn't looking at her as I said this. I was starring into deep orbs of blue. 

"Your cruel." He muttered when Tsuande was out of ear shot.

I shrugged. "But you like me anyway. Right?"

He smirked. "Which reminds me, you never answered my question."

I smirked back up at him and reached up to tame his hair. My fingers brushed his bangs from his eyes and he seemed to soften at my touch. As I looked into his eyes I knew my answer.

I took in a breath of air. "**No**."

Sasuke took a surprised step back, his mouth popped open and his eyes hurt. "Pinkette-"

I held up my finger and pressed it to his lips. Silencing him. "I just met you yesterday Sasuke. You really like me like you say? Fine. But your going to have to prove it."

His lips formed another smirk and he muttered against my finger. "Yes Ma'am."


	14. Chapter 14 Mom, 2nd mom, fuck!

**Okay so there's a lot going on in this chapter. Basically one of those kinds of chapters that gets u set up for the really BIG one that comes next haha**

**Ps. It is sooo much easier to write a romance when your IN a romance! Hehe The chapters should come faster! Of course reviews will speed up the process even faster!**

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

**Ch.14 Mom, 2nd mom, fuck!**

_**I believe humans get a lot done, not because we're smart, but because we have thumbs so we can make coffee. ~Flash Rosenberg**_

I came home to an empty house. Or at least that's what I thought until after I climbed to the top of the stairs and heard the sound of mom's voice. It was light and drawn out. Like she really wasn't paying any attention to what she was humming.

For an instant I was pulled back into the old days. When I was small and shy, with a head full of thick red locks. They matched my mother's exactly. Except that hers were always much prettier. It was the age of princess's and pirates ships, and she was the prettiest lady in the whole wide world. I can still remember laying my head in her lap as she ran her fingers through my hair. She would hum a beautiful tune as I fell asleep. Kind of like the one she was now.

I used to love her laugh. It never failed in making me smile. And I used to hug her legs on the car ride home from school. Because school, back then, was just horrible. To this day I still don't know how kids so young could be so mean. But when I was with her, I knew I would be okay. Because in my eyes, she was Superwoman. She wasn't scared of anything at all…

Making my way into her room I watched as she turned the pages to an old worn out paper back. The Notebook, by Nicolas Sparks, I recognized it from awhile back. She used to read that book all day. Although she begged me to read it, I just snuck away to watch the movie.

I leaned against the door frame and knocked softly on the wall.

She looked up from her book in surprise and smiled warmly at me from her spot on the bed. The golden covers went up to her waist and she sat up on a pillow propped up against the bed frame. Then she lifted her eyebrows expectantly as she examined my face.

"What's with that silly smile on your lips? Your smitten." She set her paperback on the lamp stand beside her and began to get up but I shook my head and slowly made my way to the queen sized bed and climbed in just like I always used to.

"I just had a really good day. Well not really. I mean…in the end it was good-" I stopped, realizing I was babbling and sighed. "But over all magical."

I laid my head in her lap and I closed my eyes. "Mom I'm so confused."

She laughed softly, "Life can get very confusing. Like right now. My daughters talking in cryptic code."

That made me smile, and maybe even laugh. I rolled over so my face was facing the ceiling and I could see moms vibrant red hair from my peripheral vision. That's when it hit me!

My hair! My **pink** hair!

I frantically looked around myself for something to cover it with, but I already knew it was beyond useless.

"Let me explain!" I begged franticly, feeling so vunerable laying in her lap like this, but mom just shook her head and gave me a look that said 'No, I'll do the talking.' I snapped my mouth shut as she reached over for the lamp and angled it's light on my hair.

"Did you fall on your head when you were born?" She muttered, but an amused smile was on her lips.

"Mom-" But she gave me another look and I suddenly lost my voice.

"I already know. Your doing it to take revenge on Kiba right?" She laughed as my jaw dropped. "I may have been in the hall while you and Ino were talking about it. But I decided not to say anything because I never thought you'd actually go through with it. But that baseball cap gave me the warning I needed. So don't worry about me blowing up…because I'm not."

My face felt numb and I knew a major blush was making my face cherry red.

So mom had known all along? She played dumb in the living room. She played even dumber this morning.

**Wait just a darn second!**

"Was that why you were crying this morning?" I felt like jumping off the bed and punching something. Ripping something to shreds.

"Crying?" She gave me a confused and a little bit shocked look before leaning her head on the bed frame and looked anywhere but at me. "You saw that huh?"

"Yeah I did." I gulped, "You were crying right?"

"Yes-" She smiled, "But not because of your hair."

I sighed and relaxed, "Then…why?"

"You know…I really don't remember." I would have laughed at that, if it wasn't for the fact that she was playing with the bed sheets in-between her fingers. She was fidgeting…which only meant one thing: Something was wrong.

"Mom?" I willed her to look at me, but she suddenly became a statue. "Mom why were you crying?"

"It's not that important." She ran her fingers through my hair and eased out a knot. "Tell me what your day was like? Why so magical?"

I set my chin stubbornly. Why wouldn't she ever tell me anything? Somehow I knew…I just knew… this was all dad's fault.

"Well I'd have to start from yesterday…to get you up to pace I mean." I sighed.

She eased out another knot, "I've got plenty of time."

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

I drove down the streets in Ino's car, tapping my fingers on the steering wheel along with the music blasting from the speakers. For once I trusted myself to drive in the morning without passing out. I'm a night person, not a morning person. But today I was in a great mood.

"He loves me, he loves me not, she loves me, she loves me not-" I sang along with the current song, and swayed to the fast paced lyrics. Am I really dancing in a car? Huh, I guess love can do that to you.

Finally a car honked at me from behind and I was forced to focus. I glanced down at my speed meter, then up at the speed sign. Was I really going ten miles under the speed limit?

As the car that honked at me passed, I glanced out my side window to wave an apology and was met with the angriest wrinkly eyes I've ever seen. An old women honked at me to go faster? Was I in the twilight zone or something?

Ino lived in a community where every house looked similar, and the yards were about one foot apart. Of course I never mentioned that to her before. But I could never understand how someone could live like that. I mean, where was the privacy? But then again, Ino and her mother-Kestrel-were pretty 'out there' kind of people. They loved company and never wanted to be alone. This kind of community probably felt like paradise.

"You can lose weight **fast**! I mean **real** fast! I'm talking **Super** fast! I'm talking about-" I shut off the ridiculous commercial that was really only shouting out lies, and pulled a curve into Ino's driveway.

At first glance Ino's house would remind you of the Malibu-Barbie doll house. Palm trees lined the drive way that stood proud and tall and swayed with the wind. In the winter they'd string up Christmas lights that circled all up the trunks and twinkled in the green on top. But at a second glance you'd see the special Yamanaka touch. The house sat on a elevated hill, and vines with purple flowers climbed the walls giving it an elegant essence.

I made my way up the driveway, shut off the ignition and climbed out, hugging my school uniform to my body. It was the beginning of October, and winter was slowly crawling in. Soon we'd have to switch out our uniforms for the winter style.

I didn't bother knocking, and just aloud myself in. Immediately I was hit with the smell of vanilla. Courtesy of Ino's mom. I looked down when something wet nudged at my knee and smiled brightly.

"Sammy!" I dropped to my knee's and held my arms wide as a large flash of creamy fur rushed into my arms.

"Samuel don't! You'll make Saki all stinky." A voice similar to Ino's but a bit smoother said, coming from the kitchen. Kestrel walked out wearing a long white summer dress with her long blonde hair in messy curls. Basically a bigger version of Ino, except her eyes lacked the mischief.

"It's no problem." I giggled as Sammy's nose smelled my hair. "Do I smell like strawberries Sammy?"

Sammy, or as Kestrel calls him: Samuel; is a two year old golden retriever. They say he's a pure breed, but I swear there's some husky in him, just because of his eyes. They're a misty blue, and they begged me to scratch his ears. I like this smell, I like this girl, oh happy day! Is what his eyes said.

Finally I stood up from the floor and brushed off my skirt. Kestrel smiled at me in a way that said: Okay, you've had your fun with the dog. Now smell yourself.

"So I heard you went out on a date last weekend." My eyes flashed like a little devil as Kestrel blushed. "How was it?"

"I'm afraid your virgin ears can't handle it." She said, turning on her heals, swaying her hips in a way I could never dream of.

One thing that was different between Kestrel and my mother, was that Kestrel held an outer beauty that no man on earth could miss. While my mother held a subtle beauty, one you'd have to wait and see until she shows you. But one thing that my mother and Kestrel have in common though, is that they both have an inner beauty as well. One that shines brighter than their daughters ever could.

"Oh come on." I trailed behind her into the kitchen. There were white and purple flowers in every space. Some fake, bust most were real. "I can so to handle it."

She let out a giggle, "What do you want to know?"

"Is he cute?" Sammy bounded up the stairs, probably up to drag Ino down.

Kestrel tried to play uninterested as she searched for milk in the fridge, but I knew her enough to see through the charade.

"I'd say he's a good looking man." She shrugged, but I caught that little glimmer in her eye.

"Do you think Sammy will approve?" I joked and Kestrel let out a laugh.

"He may. As for Ino…well it's to soon to tell." I caught that pause and it worried me.

Why wouldn't Ino approve? I mean, if he's nice, and he makes Kestrel happy…oh…**ohhhh**

Suddenly it hits me. "How much younger is he?"

Ino's older version glanced at me from over her shoulder where she washed a dish, and there was a little guilt in her eyes. "He's twenty five."

I almost choked on my own spit, "I'm sorry? What?"

Kestrel tried to defend herself. "He's only eleven years younger, and he looks older than he actually is."

"But…Kestrel. Twenty-five? He's probably just getting out of college, right?" I tried to imagine Ino with a father just eight years older than her. Than I tried to imagine Kestrel with a much younger guy. That wasn't to hard actually. Kestrel didn't look a day over thirty.

"Still in actually. Diego's going to be a lawyer and he's going to need to stay in school a few more years to do that."

"Diego?" Diego and Kestrel. I couldn't say it fit. But if she was happy with him that's all that mattered. I'm sure Ino felt the same way. Besides, what were the odds that this guy would actually be the one anyway? Slim, I can say that right now. "So what your saying is…your dating a school boy?"

Kestrel caught the tease in my tone and she playfully smacked me, "Go get Ino. She's probably about done by now."

"Mother you know me to well." Ino said, coming down the stairs with Sammy on her heels. She wore our school uniform, which was just your basic black and white. I wore the same. On school days other than Monday, we're forced to wear them. Although I have to say that the short skirts are anything but dress code worthy. **(AN: If you want to see the uniforms go on my profile and look under extras it'll be in the COVER)**

Kestrel glanced at the clock, "You two should get going. Ino's told me your taking her out for coffee?"

I sighed. Well, if there was any chance of Ino forgetting about that then it was gone now. Thanks Kestrel.

I glared at the older blonde but she just winked. "Have fun."

"Come on Saki." Ino grabbed her bag and headed for the door. "I don't know about you but I'm in a Starbucks mood."

Starbucks? I was just thinking about McDonalds…

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

The closest Starbucks was about five minutes away. So the ride was short, but definitely not quiet.

"She's insane!" Ino threw her hands in the air and I thanked the goddess that I was the one driving.

"Insane? Don't you think your over exaggerating?" I took one hand off the wheel and pinched my thumb and index finger so that they were almost touching. "Just a bit?"

"Well how would you feel if your mom spends the night with a guy on her first date, huh? They kept me up half the night! I swear I'm going shopping for some decent earplugs. Better yet, a **shotgun**! So I can murder the bastard!" Ino growled the last part. "I hate him. The way he looks at my mom is offensive."

I frowned at the car in front of me. "You really think he's a creep?"

"Trust me Sakura." I knew she was being serious since she used my real name. "He's bad news."

"Have you talked to your mom about this?" I asked, signaling my right blinkers as I turned into the strip. Coincidently the Starbucks was in the same strip as the Uchiha hair shop. My heart fluttered like a butterfly's wings at the word **Uchiha**.

No! Get a grip! Your best friend in the whole world is seriously upset. And even though she hasn't said so yet, I think she's scared. So focus on her, Dammit!

Ino scoffed and brought me back to attention, "I didn't have time. He left right after I got up, and she's been cleaning all morning. Plus I had to get ready." She sighed, "But I don't really want to talk anymore about it."

"Your sure." I pulled in front of the coffee shop and parked before taking off my seatbelt and turning toward her. "We can skip if you want. I really don't mind if you want to talk."

Normally skipping class wasn't really my thing. Sure, I've done it once or twice. But then again, who hasn't? And now I had a real good reason to attend class. I knew a certain dark haired boy with an arrogant smirk will be waiting for me. I forgot what is voice sounded like, and that alone drove me crazy! I wanted to hear him say my name. I wanted to say his…But I also felt I owed Ino. If she wanted to skip, I'd skip.

"No, no." Ino pulled down the visor and looked into the attached mirror. "I'm seriously done talking about it for now." She gave me a side-glance, "Coffee doesn't go down well with depression you know."

I let out a laugh, "No I wouldn't know. I've never had a coffee in my life."

"Which is why your so dead tired all the time." Ino hopped out of the car and I followed her lead. Again I was hit with a gush of cold air and I pulled out my school jacket from the backseat and handed Ino hers.

"You know coffee stains you teeth." I say behind Ino. "And I'm pretty sure it's calorie packed."

"Are you saying I'm fat?" I could hear the tease in her voice.

"Well…" I leave it at that and let Ino's mind fill in the rest. She stopped in her tracks and smacked my arm…hard. "Ouch!"

She swats at me again but this time I duck and run, laughing over my shoulder. "Race you inside, **pig**!"

And so a new nickname was born!

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

Ino ordered something caramel but small. I wasn't exactly sure what, but I felt bad about teasing her about her weight. It wasn't true. Ino was skinnier than I was, she just had bigger boobs and a more distinct waist that gave her curves. I thought I hurt her feelings and was about to apologies when she eyed the soccer ball sized chocolate muffin that I bought and muttered in a way that I was sure to here : "And I'm the fat one?"

"So there's something I want to tell you about." I decided now was as good time as any to bring up Sasuke. She'd be dramatic about it either way. Probably more than usual considering I waited this long to bring it up to her. But I wanted to let the cat out the bag **before** she started drinking her iced coffee. Or she'd just might blow up the whole shop! I wasn't exaggerating about Ino and her coffee. She goes berserk! Totally wired.

"Shoot." She took a long sip of her coffee but she got mostly whip cream and I thanked god it took about five minutes for the caffeine to take effect.

"Well when I went to the Uchiha hair shop-"

She interrupted me, "The new place you work at?"

I forgot I told her about that on the phone last night. "Uh yeah, that's the one. Anyway there was this guy there."

"It's about time you told me." She swirled the coffee with her straw and gave me a funny glare. "I was beginning to think you'd try to keep it a secret forever."

I blinked twice before remembering how to talk, "Huh?" Or at least how to make noise…

"Oh come on Saki, what kind of bestie would I be if I couldn't notice the little things."

"Little things?" Hey! There you go Sakura! Use your words!

"Yeah! Little things like the way you'd space out every few hours. At first I thought you were just nervous about dyeing your hair, but you kept at it. What else would you be thinking about other than a guy?"

I was very aware that my jaw was hanging open, and I'm sure chocolate muffin was stuck in my teeth, but that didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was that she knew! Ino really knew all along? And I thought I was doing so good…shows what I know, huh.

"Plus you totally forgot about Kiba. It seemed like I was the only one bringing him up. That was another red flag." She took a giant sip from her coffee and leaned over the table, "So what's the lucky guys name? Is he a ten?"

I snapped out of my shock when Sasuke's eyes penetrated my mind.

Yesterday he trailed behind me on his motorcycle while I drove Ino's car home. Once he drove by my side down a deserted road and he dared me to race. Its not like he shouted it out or anything, it was just the little hints he gave me. The way he'd rev the engine and smirk at me through the car window. The way he'd go through spurts of speed and then let me catch up. Long story short, I raced him, and pretty much kicked his ass.

"Sasuke Uchiha. He's my boss's grandson and he's at least a twenty!" I suddenly felt the need to giggle and twirl my hair like a love sick teen. I hadn't known how much I wanted to talk about him to her until it finally came out. "He rides this sexy ass motorcycle; silver. And he's got this adorable habit to rub his jaw whenever he's embarrassed."

"Woe there Saki! Slow down! Motorcycle? Twenty? I'm sorry but no guy over a ten can stick with one girl more than a day. Hell, any guy over an eight is prone to player-ness."

"That's not true. Every player finds that special girl who he wants to stick with." I frowned, having already gone through this.

Yesterday was a big day. It started out with a love sick ache in my stomach, then it suddenly shifted to betrayal and anger when I caught him with his girlfriend Karin-or should I say Ex-girlfriend-then it ended with an **almost but not quite **kiss and an all around understanding. Sasuke would have to chase me, he'd have to fight for me, and he knew it.

"Saki that kind of stuff only happens in the movies. Usually players stay players until they die." She pursed her lips. "I just don't want you to get hurt."

She just didn't get it. Sasuke had changed. Maybe not completely, but enough to say the things and act the way he did last night. That wasn't being played. There was a difference.

When Sasuke looked at me he looked **inside** me. She'd never seen the way he looked at me. Because if she had she would have understood completely.

I decided I'd have to fill her in on all the details or she'd never understand. So I did. I started from the very beginning when I first met him, first shook his hand and he never let go, then I told her about his desire to be near me. So much so that he wanted to work at an aquarium to far for any sane teen to drive more than once a month.

Still, she continued to look unconvinced. I shoved the rest of the muffin in my mouth and grabbed her wrist. "Come on," I ordered with a mouth full. "I want you to meet him."

But that wasn't all. **I** wanted to see him. I wanted to look into those dark blue eyes and I wanted him to smile when he saw me. Because I knew he would. I wanted to talk to him during Science, since last time I ignored him, still angry. I wanted to meet up with outside the locker rooms and go to gym together, Karin would be there to, but who cares? I wanted him to save a seat for me at lunch, and I wanted him to call me my nickname loud and clear so everyone could hear.

There were so many possibilities. So many things to look forward too, that I felt like I was on a wave of happiness. If I wasn't in public I would have started dancing.

Ino would love Sasuke. I just knew it!

Sasuke this, Sasuke that. He was all I could think about. But I didn't care.

Kiba was the last thing on my mind….so of course the universe just had to have our path's cross.

**Fuck…**


	15. Chapter 15 Almost but not Quite

**Sorry for such the long wait. Was it a long wait? Gosh this whole week as been busy busy busy lol =) Anyone hate Karin? Well I don't. She's a she devil in the story, but I don't hate her. Cuz hate is a very strong word, you know?**

**Just a quick reminder! If your interesting in pictures for this story. (Example: Sasuke's motorcycle, Sakura's room ex) then go to my profile and look up Why I Dyed My Hair Pink Extras! K? Kay! =D**

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

**Ch.15 Almost but not Quite**

_**Any man who can drive safely while kissing a pretty girl is simply not giving the kiss the attention it deserves. ~Albert Einstein**_

Have you ever had one of those moments where you wish you were anywhere but in your current position? Hell, if it were a choice between jail and where I was now, I'd choose jail. Because there, holding my shoulders so I wouldn't knock both of us done, stood my ex boyfriend…

Last time I saw him we were in his car, in my driveway, and he told me 'things weren't working out.'

"What's the matter?" I asked, retreating back to my side of the car. I had leaned over for a kiss but he shifted away. My first thought was that I had bad breath, my second thought was that I made him mad somehow, my third thought was dead on. _He was going to brake up with me…_

"Listen Sakura." He sighed and finally looked me in the eyes. "You're a beautiful girl, and I love you. But not…not like this. Your like my little sister. You know?"

"That's funny." He gave me enough time to feel an emotion other than shock and I could sense a slow anger burning its way in my stomach. "Because the last time I checked big bros don't usual try to touch and feel their little sisters."

"Your mad." It wasn't a question. He ran his hand through his spiky brown hair with a frown.

"No!" I bit my lip, forcing down the tears. This time I said more softly, "No I'm not mad. Just hurt…I guess. I don't know…"

"It's not you Sakura. None of this is your fault." He reached for me but I made a mad dive for the car handle and swung it open.

"Save it." I said between clenched teeth. "I don't want to hear that. **It's not you it's me? **That's the oldest brake up line in the book Kiba, and I refuse to be fed that shit."

"Sakura come on!" He jumped out of the car after me but I was a pretty fast runner when I needed to be. I had the door slammed shut and locked before he could catch me.

I'd been crushed of course, and Ino sped over for an emergency shoulder to cry on. That was the weekend we came up with the plan. Dye my hair pink: Get back at Kiba.

But a lot had happened since that day. Not only was I completely over him, but I didn't see the need to 'get back' at anyone anymore. So that made things very awkward, considering the way he was starring at my hair. My new **pink **hair.

Ino and I had just left the Starbucks and it was becoming very obvious how much caffeine was in that iced coffee of hers. She was talking at one hundred words per minute and walking with a skip in her step. Literally.

"You know I'd like to meet this new boss of yours!" She wrapped an arm over my shoulder and tugged me towards her so we were walking hip to hip. "I wanna meet this 'grandma' lady!"

"Sure sure." I tried to pry her arm from over my neck but Ino mixed with caffeine equaled a deadly weapon. "But first her grandson. Kay?"

"Oh that's right!" She looked generally surprised and finally let me go. I rubbed my neck with a scowl. Annoying…sort of. "Lets go meet your husband!"

"He's not my husband! He's not even my boyfriend. He's-" I was too busy watching her twirl around like a ballerina to watch what was in front of me. So I was surprised to hit my ear on something hard. My first thought was 'wall'. But that wall stumbled back and my next thought was 'person.'

I gasped and halted any movement, the person was holding onto my shoulders to keep me upright and I gazed up at the tall boy who caught me. The early morning sun was bright, and it took a few moments for my eyes to adjust. But when they did, and I recognized the face, I jumped back like I'd just touched a hot stove.

**It was Sasuke! **

Psych! Had you going there didn't I?

No…I **wish** it was Sasuke. Nothing would have made me happier. But the universe just wasn't in the mood I guess. Because instead of a charming boy with black hair, midnight blue eyes and a smirk that could make me faint, stood a tall-tanned skin boy with scruffy brown hair and yellow-almost hawk like-eyes.

**Kiba.**

"Well look who it is!" Ino let out a caffeine filled laugh. "It's dog boy!"

Dog boy? Okay, I guess that made sense. Kiba did volunteer at the animal shelter after all…but, dog boy? Really? I guess a caffeine filled Ino equaled a dumb one too. Or at least a slightly less creative one.

Kiba rose an eyebrow at me as if to ask: Was that supposed to be an insult?

I suppose with times like these their were supposed to be awkward silences, but this was just pathetic! Ino was chatting along and going on about ducks…but me and Kiba just stood there with our eyes down.

What was the right thing to say? What was I supposed to do? I needed Ino badly, but she'd been abducted by aliens and was replaced with a spasy blonde who was now going on about how ducks were 'attractive' animals. Good god Ino, come back to earth!

I took a glance up from my feet and followed his gaze. My head? No…my hair. Suddenly I felt dizzy.

"Um-" I fidgeted with the tips of my hair. "H-hey?" Oh jeez! I was hesitating! I was freaking stuttering! Someone kill me!

Kiba let out a laugh, "Your starting to sound like Hinata."

I blushed. Hinata was one his friends. She didn't go to our school, and I only met her at the animal shelter where she worked with Kiba. But she was very sweet to me. She was also very shy, and stuttered all the time. Maybe because she was more comfortable talking with animals than to humans…

I gulped down a mouth full of spit, "Do you like it?"

"Your hair?" He asked.

"No duh, Sherlock." Ino grumbled but I'm pretty sure he heard.

"Yeah…I guess so." He took a strand of my hair in his fingers than let it slip loose. I felt sick. His hands were big and rough, it made me think of Sasuke. I'd never actually held his hand before. Right now I wish I had.

"Well **I** love it!" Ino pocked him in the chest. "She looks fantastic. Sorry to say this Kiba but she's way out of your league now."

"Ino!" I gasped.

"No it's cool." He half smiled and took a step back to put some distance between him and Ino. "She has a right to be upset. She's your best friend after all."

"Damn straight." Ino linked our arms and gave me a cheeky grin. She obviously wasn't aware of my current position. I wasn't mad like Ino. I wasn't guilty like Kiba. I just wanted to get away. I wanted Sasuke. He seemed like the only solution at the moment.

"You have a right to be mad to." Kiba gave me a sad look. "You still feel the way you did when I called you?"

I remembered back to before I met Sasuke. I still had black hair and Ino and I had just came up with our plan. We bounded down the stairs and if I remember correctly, I was desperately trying to get away from the makeup she kept trying to pile on me. That's when he called. He told me he made a big mistake. That he wanted to take back what he said. He wanted me to take him back.

But I wasn't having it. I told him to never speak to me again. I told him to never **look** at me again. And I demanded he never called me 'Saki' again either. Because that's something only my friends called me. Now I had an even better nick name. A name I didn't want anyone to call me except it's creator. Sasuke. God I really missed him.

I opened my mouth to answer but Ino beat me to it, "Of course she still feels the same way! Now walk along with your tail between your legs like the **mutt **you are."

"Ino would you shut up." Kiba growled, obviously losing his patience. But in those five words I remembered something. This boy hurt me. He tried to change me. Now he was telling **my** best friend to shut up? Fuck that!

"No, **you** shut up Kiba." I tightened Ino's arm that was linked with mine and she gave me a knowing smile. She knew me better than anyone. She knew what was coming next, and she couldn't wait. "How dare you even say that!"

He opened his mouth to speak, realizing his mistake maybe, but I wasn't through. "I do feel the same way Kiba. I only forgot how much I hated you! Did you think you could just insult her without pissing me off? Huh? No, don't answer that. I knew what you were thinking. Nothing! Nothing at all."

I didn't give him an opportunity to speak though, as Ino and I stormed off towards her car. Of course, being the jerk he was, Kiba had to have the last word.

"See you in cooking club, **Bitch!**"

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

"What a jerk!" Ino slammed her locker door shut. "I cant believe he said that to you."

To be honest neither could I. Kiba had a quick temper, but he'd never called me names before. Let alone a bitch.

"I'm gonna' talk to Choji. Maybe Lee too. Kiba shouldn't get away with how he treated you!"

I rose an eyebrow, "What are planning on doing…Jumping him? Seriously Ino, don't overreact."

"He deserves a good ass kicking." Ino lead the way down the halls toward homeroom. We may have missed it yesterday due to the fight with Karin, but I had no intentions of trying it a second time. Besides, maybe Sasuke was there. Neither he nor I were their yesterday to see.

A mental image of Sasuke in our boy's school uniform took over my thoughts and I suddenly found the energy to match Ino's fast pace, if not pass her.

Please be there, Please please **please!**

"Saki! **Hey! **Slow down!"

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

I sat with my head buried down in my arms. Dozing off in class is an art that the general high school student has pretty much perfected. Except for me that is. I could never sleep in class, even now, as the lights were turned off and the only sound in the room came from the small TV up front.. School updates this, school paper that…blah blah blah.

I've always hated homeroom. Everyday was the same thing.

1) Sit the fuck down

2) Shut the hell up

3) Listen to the popular crowd chat on Tv. How fun! **Not!**

I should have known Sasuke wouldn't have this class for homeroom. I'd never been that lucky before, so why would I start now?

Just one more class Sakura, I told myself. Get through this then you can see him.

"Tryouts for our school hockey team will be held today after school with our brand new coach Kakashi!" Karin's voice said cheerfully from behind the TV screen. She'd been apart of the school news since our freshman year, so obviously she looked professional. The real deal. She also looked beautiful. It made me wonder what Sasuke saw in me. She was so much prettier than I was…

Wait! **Coach **Kakashi? Oh hell! There're giving him a permanent job?

Ino was fidgeting in the seat to my right. This was probably even worse for her than it was for me. She's always hated the school news. Especially since Karin practically ruled it. But now she was wired on caffeine. Sitting in the dark….scratch that, sitting in the dark and staying still probably felt like torture to her!

"Hey!" A high, but whispered voice caught my attention from my left. Bunny Thornton, miss school prep herself, leaned toward me and whispered, "Your Sakura right?"

I held in a laugh, "Bunny, we've been going to the same schools since pre-K."

She gave me a look as to say: And your point is? Then asked again, "Are you she or not?"

I sighed tiredly, "I'm her."

"Here." She tossed a note on my desk. "It's from Karin."

"Karin?" I gasped and smiled timidly as heads turned to stare. The teacher was too busy sipping his coffee and reading his email to care. "What does it say?"

She didn't give me the nicest of looks and I scowled, "Oh come on Bunny. Like I'm supposed to believe you didn't sneak a peak at the note first."

She tossed her blonde hair over the shoulder closest to me which veiled her face from my eyes. I could take a hint, whatever was in the note wasn't good.

I unfolded it slowly, expected it to self destruct at any moment. I know that only happens in movies, but Sasuke dumped Karin. He said he did it for me, and obviously Karin knew. Why else would she be having blonde Bunny here pass on notes to me?

_Sakura, _it read.

_You took him away from me. How nice of you. But he wont be yours for long. That's a promise. After all, he's still wearing the bracelet. The one with MY initials._

I crinkled the note up in in my fist, not caring how much noise I made.

That bracelet. That stupid brown leather bracelet with the initials K.U.

I totally forgot about that!

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

"You've got some explaining to do." I plopped in the same seat I did yesterday. Sasuke sat in the desk behind me with a smirk. "Hello to you to."

"Let me see your wrist." I ordered. Mrs. Temari was back in class, but at the moment she was writing down notes on the board so we had a few minutes to talk. More like interrogate…

"Yes ma'am." He chuckled and stuck out his wrist, I pushed up the sleeve. Bare.

"I meant your right one." I grumbled. I was trying to stay as cold as ice, but those dark blue eyes were really trying to warm me up and I found it very hard to remember anything else other than the fact that this boy sitting behind me had just asked me out yesterday.

"What's this about?" He asked, in a way that was so cute it was dangerous. I paused in my task of rolling up his right sleeve to glance at his lips. So so **so **cute!

I cleared my throat and forced my eyes to look back down it his wrist. **Oh hell he's tan! **

Get a grip! I yelled to myself. He's just a guy!

"Awha!" I whispered this time since Temari had started lecturing. "What's this?"

He looked down at his leather bracelet then back up at me, "Uh…skin?"

I remembered back to when we hid behind the bushes outside my house. He'd frustrated me and I threw grass in his face. Right now I really wished I had some. But I **did **have pencils…save that for later Sakura!

Ino sat in the seat to my right, and even though I instructed her to keep her eyes up front, she began to turn to watch us. I'd told her about my dilemma on the way to class, and she scoffed saying, "Men!"

**Men **was right! I cant believe I fell for this again! Because there, on Sasuke's wrist, was the Bracelet. Why not just tattoo a picture of Karin's face to his skin! It was practically the same thing!

"K.U?" I glared at him, "What does that stand for?"

A small smile formed on his lips. Oh god! He's thinking about her and he's smiling! I was too mad to cry.

He pointed his finger at the **K **and said, "Kaede." Then he pointed at the **U**, "Uchiha."

For once in my life, I think I fainted without actually closing my eyes or falling over. No, I was still sitting there, upright mind you, and Sasuke was tucking a strand of pink hair behind my ear. I heard Ino stifle a laugh, obviously she over heard it and recognized the misunderstanding at the same time I did. Only I was frozen in shock.

"It stands for Kaede Uchiha, my little sister. I told you about her right?"

Suddenly I remembered the note. Reaching into my back pocket I pulled out the folded over paper and tossed it on his desk. When he looked at me with an eyebrow raised I unfolded it, "So Karin was, what…lying?"

He scanned it over, and with every word he read his expression look more and more appalled. "You've got to be kidding me."

"What do you mean?" I leaned over the same note, and scanned it over again. Maybe there was something I missed. Nope, its still the same.

He rested his cheek in his hand and sighed, "She seemed okay with the brake up."

"No girl is okay with a guy braking up with her. We'll pretend to shake it off though." Ino interrupted. She winked at me, "You were right. He does look like a god!"

I felt dizzy as a blush rushed to my cheeks, and Sasuke stifled a laugh. I knew what he was remembering. That time when we met by the road. I said he was god like, but only to fool him. I wanted to push his buttons. And it worked.

"I never actually said that." I growled. "Sasuke, this is Ino Yamanaka, my **evil,** lying friend. Ino, this is Sasuke Uchiha."

The rest of the class period was just plain torture. I had forced myself to turn back around in my seat when Ino warned Sasuke and I that Mrs. Temari was beginning to eye us. But that didn't stop Sasuke at all. He was drawling little circles on the back of my neck with his pinkie, and I tried to swat him away. But he was stubborn. Finally I let my eyes slip shut and focused on the patterns he drew. Sometimes he'd brush my ear, sometimes he'd play with my hair in a way that made me feel self conscience. What did he think of my pink hair? I decided that was something I'd have to bring up at some point. But even if he said he hated it, even if he said it repulsed him, I'd keep it. Because I made the mistake of changing for one guy once, and I was never going to do that again.

His touch sent eclectic bolts rushing down my body. It left a trail of heat, and I could smell his Tim McGraw cologne very faintly.

I felt on edge. The good kind.

He'll never make me change, I had no idea where the idea came from, but I trusted it absolutely.

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

The only thing sexier than Sasuke in our school uniform, was Sasuke in our **gym **uniform!

A pair of black sweats and a white cotton T-shirt (that did a horrible job at hiding those sexy arms) pretty much made up the uniform. Our school's name was printed on his shirt in black and blue, and a customized UCHIHA was printed right below it. I could see the strength under that shirt. He wasn't to buff of course, but he was no where near scrawny either...

"Nice legs Pinkette." He'd surprised me by coming up behind me as I headed to the gym.

He appraised my gym uniform, which was basically a pair of black shorts and tank top. Something tells me the coaches enjoyed their job, especially the males, since our shorts, in my opinion, were a few inches to short!

"There you go with that nickname again. " I pretended to scowl, but I wasn't fooling anyone. I loved the way he said my nickname, usually there would be a smirk on his lips, and he'd stare into my eyes like that was the most attractive feature about me.

He opened the gym door open and let me slip through first (I guess chivalry isn't dead?) and he even kept it open for a group of lower classman before catching up to my side. He studied my smile and must of made the connection since he said with a role of his eyes, "I'm old fashioned."

"Yeah." I scoffed, "Because every cowboy rode their motorcycle at a-zillion miles an hour."

"Speaking of motorcycles…" He casually draped an arm over my shoulders as we headed up the bleachers. "Up for a ride, say, tonight?"

I shrugged his arm off, because no matter how much I wanted to tackle him to the floor and taste those sexy, arrogant lips of his, I was looking forward to the chase. I was completely serious before, he'd have to fight for me. He likes me? Great! Fine. Prove it.

"No thanks." I plopped down on the last bench, the bleacher all the way at the top.

He grasped his chest and faked a heartbroken expression, "Ouch! You've gotta' be careful with me Pinkette. I'm fragile."

What a lie! Looking at his body, his eyes, his…self. I could tell right away he was tough. Not the 'I Goliath you weakling' kind of tough, I just knew he was strong. Inside, and(I glanced at those arms again)definitely out.

"I think you'll survive." I whispered as he sat beside me, the three coaches were shouting at army levels down on the floor, and the bleachers were jammed packed with students. Being on top it was harder to make out what they were saying, but I didn't really care. What I did care about was that Sasuke's hip was pressed against mine. Our legs were brushing, our shoulders were right up against each other, and I was afraid to turn my head, we were so close we could kiss.

Again I could smell his Tim McGraw cologne, and I wondered if he could smell my Vanilla Fantasy spray. I sure layered on enough. I'd left my hair down today, and I was suddenly very thankful. This way I could just shift my hair over my shoulders and it'll veil my face from his eyes. I wasn't blushing, and if I was then I'd stopped noticing it by now.

Suddenly a shock of pure heat washed over my skin, my body went stiff, but my eyes roamed around widely. Sasuke had tucked the hair keeping me from his view behind my ear, he leaned toward me, but just a little since really…there wasn't much room to close. He wasn't smirking, he wasn't frowning, he wasn't smiling or scowling. He just looked into my eyes. Looked and stared, and gazed. Was he seeing something inside me, was there really something worth his time in there?

It wasn't rational, it wasn't me with black hair, or red hair, but me with **pink** hair. This new girl had met someone very special. So what else was there to do except kiss?

I'm actually going to do it. Yeah, I definitely am. Do it…do it…do it do it do it doitdoitdoitdoit**doit**

Karin ruined it. I could feel his breath as I tilted my head up, I could feel him urging me on. **He** wanted **me** to kiss **him**. Probably even more than I did. Then a high, actually low and dangerous voice, stopped me.

"Sasuke!" No it was a hiss…a whisper, but I knew who it was. "Your going to join the hockey team. Right?."

Karin had plopped her stupid ass on the bench to Sasuke's right. So he was sandwiched between me and her. How…awkward?

I bit my lip, feeling very small. Here were these two very attractive teens, both worthy of fame and fortune and here I was, little Saki, worthy of….what?

"Hockey?" So I was back to one worded responses? Terrific…

"Sasuke's always talking about playing for the Olympics. Aren't you babe? What…he never told you about that? Huh, guess it was a secret." Karin smirked, not a grandma smirk, or a Sasuke smirk, but an evil she smirk. I clenched my jaw in aggravation.

"I used to watch him practice for hours on end." She laughed, "You know he stole his old coaches key?

"Karin." Sasuke was frowning now.

"Yeah, he copied it at...I think Louse. Right Sasuke? Well anyway, he returned it before his coach ever noticed. This way you could practice at any time."

"Karin." He said again, warning her to stop.

She ignored him completely. "But I think there were other benefits. Like a nice cold stating rink, it keeps you from sweating as much."

Slowly but surly, I knew where this was going. I braced myself for the worst.

"And it's quiet. Perfect when you want…privacy." She didn't need to say more. I knew.

Sasuke stood abruptly, and so did everyone else. To my horror I thought the entire gym had heard the exchange, but (thank god) that wasn't the case. The coaches had stopped blabbering and were herding everyone outside for a few laps around the track.

Sasuke grabbed my hand and dragged me down the bleachers, it may have been my imagination, but I thought I heard Karin laugh behind us. "Sasuke…"

He continued to walk, the features on his face were solid as rock, and blank. I just knew he was mad. Well why wouldn't he be? Karin had…well what she did was…none of my business…I guess. "Sasuke?"

When he didn't acknowledge me again I halted in my steps and jerked him to a stop. I growled, "Would you stop for a second!" He was holding my hand, and it was so warm, but right now I had no chance of enjoying it.

Still…he was looking away. His jaw was tight when he said, "You shouldn't of had to put up with that."

"She's not your reasonability." I squeezed his hand.

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, "It feels like she is." When I gave him a questionable look he leaned against the wall, but he never let go of my hand. I don't think I would let him even if he tried.

"Karin is-" When he hesitated I got a feeling I was about to learn something knew. Something important. "She's one of the few people I've ever really gotten along with. I met her at my old school. She was doing this journalism program, I don't know…I just remember really liking her."

I nodded, and hid the sadness I felt somewhere deep, "Okay."

He laughed, it was strained but I tried to smile with him anyways.

"We had a summer thing…then when my parents wanted to move to where she lived…"

"Jackpot." I muttered, and he squeezed my hand.

"It felt like it, yeah. But that was before-" He stopped there, he didn't need to say anything else. He looked like a child out of his element. Talking about feelings...blah blah blah.

But like I said, he didn't need to say one more word. I could connect the dots. "Before you met me."

I bit my lip to keep from braking into this huge, embarrassing, cheeky grin and he smirked. The gym was completely empty, and I knew right then and there he was going to kiss me.

**Finally…**

He took a step closer, closer, closer…until I had to look up to meet his eyes. He was really tall, it never truly struck me until now. Again he tucked a strand of pink hair behind my ear, and he chuckled as a blush turned my cheeks red.

I wanted this.

I needed this.

And when it happens, I'll never be happier. I knew this. I did, I really did.

Which is why I was completely taken off guard when my legs moved on their own and took a step back. There was flash of shock in his eyes, and a tidal wave of regret crashed in my stomach.

**What…The…Hell? **I felt like smacking myself! GAAHHHH!

"I'm sorry." I cupped my mouth with my hand and inhaled deeply, I felt like I was going to be sick. Because something buried down deep was telling me that it wasn't time.

I had no idea how, or when, but I knew without a doubt, that there was a better time for this.

The **right **time.


	16. Chapter 16 Open Minded

**OMG I had so much fun writing this chapter! Yeah I know I've been neglecting my other stories, well to bad! Lol I write what I'm in the mood 4, you know. **

**Anyways…**

**God Dammit REVIEW! Hehe….too harsh?**

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

Ch.16 Open minded

_I went to a fight the other night and a hockey game broke out. - Rodney Dangerfield_

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

"I'm an idiot." I groaned, planning how many times I could smash my head against my locker before I could completely forget everything that happened in gym today.

Why didn't I kiss him? I was so close…and then I completely freaked! Sasuke just shrugged it off, he said it was okay, but it was so **not **okay. Why couldn't I kiss him? Ugh!

"No your not Saki! Look, I think you did the right thing. I mean, would you really want to say you had your first kiss in the smelly, old gym?" Ino asked, and Choji nodded along with her. Lee had been pretty distant since he met Sasuke at lunch.

"He probably thinks something's up." I mumbled, biting my lip nervously.

"Weren't you the one who said he'd have to prove himself to you?" Ino asked. "Well your doing just that. Now stop worrying about one almost but not quite kiss and move on!"

"Harsh." Choji chuckled.

"Get used to it babe." Ino retorted, but I caught what Ino missed. Choji's blush when she called him 'babe'. I wondered whether Ino would ever notice…

"Well-" I said, shutting my locker door. "Time for cooking club."

"Speaking of which-" Ino trailed behind me as I headed for the back of the school. "What are you going to do about Kiba?"

The Home economics building and the gym were side by side, so Choji went with us since he was trying out for the Hockey team.

"Ignore him, I guess." I said with a shrug and Ino's jaw dropped.

"That it?" She gasped.

"What else can I do?" I asked. Obviously Ino was still mad at Kiba for yelling out 'bitch' in the Starbucks parking lot.

"Trust me Saki. There's plenty more you can do!" Ino grumbled.

"Like shoving a pie in his face." Choji broke in, he walked between us. Was it just me or was he actually losing weight?

"Yes!" Ino snapped her fingers with a silent **Eureka**!

"No way!" I threw back my head in a laugh. These guys were just too funny.

"Or I can send Samson after him. Serves him right. The dog lover being ripped to pieces by a dog!" Obviously that was Ino.

"Or I can trap him in a corner and fart on him. You know, gas him out."

"Oh oh! Even better! Samson eats his own crap, so I doubt he'll mind if you fart while he attacks him!

"Perfect!"

"Okay, I think removing you two from public is a good idea for us all." I said hitting them both playfully outside the head and waving goodbye as the Home Economics class came into view. Ino strode off toward the parking lot to wait for me and do some homework while at it, Choji took off for tryouts and I took in a heavy breath of air to calm myself down and strolled inside.

"Welcome Sakura!" Mrs. Maggie called cheerfully, wearing an American flag apron and bandana. She was a pretty patriotic gal. "How was your weekend?"

I dropped my bag in a corner and took a plain white apron from the cupboard before joining her in the back where she was kneading a thick clump of doe the size of a basketball. I sighed, "Eventful."

She gave me a smile, "Really? How so?"

"Lets just say Kiba and I are…over." I told her as I washed my hands. She stopped in her kneading and surprised me by nodding her head knowingly.

"And your happier now because of it." It wasn't a question, but a statement. Mrs. Maggie has always been like that. Sometimes she could see how a person was really feeling. Which is why she's my favorite teacher.

"Hey Mrs. M!" Kiba said, coming threw the doors. She gave me a side glance and I shrugged.

"Good afternoon Kiba." She patted me along and I took a seat in the back. She headed to the chalkboard, which had a list of cooking ingredients penciled in every little space. "Now today we're working with partners. Sound fun?"

The class of about twenty cheered, and Kiba swirled around in his chair to wink at me. "Wanna be partners?"

"No thanks." I frowned. Was he teasing me? Enjoying how uncomfortable I was? Or had he forgotten this morning? I really doubt it…

"Oh come on Saki. Be a good girl and work with me."

"Don't call me that!" I hissed.

"Don't be like that babe, you know you still want me." He smirked, it made me sick.

"Why are you being like this?" I asked. "Stop being such a jerk!"

"What do you mean?" He reached out for my hand. "I've always been this way."

"No you haven't!" I shook my head, balling my hands into fist so he couldn't take them. Then said between clenched teeth, "You **used **to be nice."

"Yeah?" He scowled. "Well you **used** to be beautiful. Then you did this shit to your hair!"

"This 'shit' happens to be the best thing I did since shooting you down." I growled, in the mood for a good fight.

"Bitch." He chuckled, leaning in close. "Like I ever really wanted you back."

I scoffed, "Go ahead. Try saving what's left of your pride while you still can."

He smiled darkly, and it made me nervous. "You wanna' know something?"

"Sure." I shrugged. He couldn't touch me. I felt like there was a wall between the two of us. One where I couldn't feel anything. "Humor me."

"The day before I broke up with you, I met up with Karin." He paused, and I tightened my jaw. "You see…she was wanting something that I could give to her. And give her **well**."

Suddenly that wall shattered like glass, and I was small little Sakura again. My breath caught in my throat. "Your lying."

He shook his head. "I don't lie babe. You wouldn't fuck me, so you lost me."

"How dare you." I stood up in my seat and brought my hand back, before harshly slapping that son of a bitch across the face. The entire class went silent and the only sound came from my ragged breathing.

I was crying, I knew it. I could feel the tears, it was beginning to get hard to breath, and my sentences broke. "How…fuck…ing…dare…you!"

He griped his cheek, and glared up at me, saying nothing. It was the silence that made me run. I bolted down the isles, ignoring Mrs. Maggie and crashed threw the doors. I needed to get away. I needed…I needed Sasuke.

I wiped my eyes and ran for the gym. He'll be at tryouts. But maybe I could catch him before…

Or maybe not.

Our school actually had a hockey rink. Being a private school, I guess we had the money to play. They were all standing in a line, about thirty of them. I knew not all of them would make it, and I eyed Choji who barely fit in his uniform. I climbed all the way to the top of the bleachers and searched for Sasuke out of the group. They all wore matching hockey garbs and skates, but Sasuke was number 17. None of them were wearing their masks yet, so I could make him out easily. Smack down in the middle of the line, stood the most beautiful boy I had ever met.

Sasuke Uchiha.

Kakashi was actually there. I didn't know what to expect, he was the new coach after all. But he was always late, I don't think he'd ever been on time before. But there he was, standing on the ice. But unlike the boys, he wore sneakers instead of skates.

"Odd numbers on one team." Kakashi ordered, "Even makes the other." He blew his whistle and the line of boys broke into two. Sasuke was in the odds obviously, I recognized some of the players that made his team. Jay McCartney, Kevin Brant, Rafael Matting, and a few other boys. Choji was number 4, so he was on the opposite team.

"I want you to show me your best. Your not going to do drills, that wont help you in a **real** game! I want you to fight to win _without actually killing each other_." He muttered that last part. "Think of this as an evaluation. I'll watch how you all play, then select my team."

I watched as Sasuke put on his mask, and I learned something very important as I watched him play. When he was on the ice, chasing after a puck, Sasuke transformed. It was like he was coming alive. He had so much energy, racing from one side of the rink to the other. I found my mood brightening immediately as the game progressed. Sasuke would make the team. No doubt about it.

Most of the guys looked the same, with their huge pads and helmets, but Sasuke was a genius! He was good, much better than the other players-even I could tell that.

I found myself laughing every time his team made a score. He would punch the air and get so rough he'd knock down his own teammates in celebration. I muffled my laughs in my hand, since I was pretty sure this was a private tryout.

"Sasuke Uchiha." Kakashi said to his assistant coach, Hearts. Weird name for a coach, I know.

"What'cha thinking Kakashi?" Hearts asked. "He's definitely caption material."

"He's in." Kakashi nodded, and I stifled a squeal. You made it Sasuke!

Tryouts ended about the same time cooking class would, if not sooner, so I doubted Ino would notice anything wrong yet. Kakashi ordered everyone up in a line first, and he nodded at each and every one of them saying, "You, you, you, **not** you, you-" He paused at Sasuke and said, "Definitely you."

I smiled brightly as Kakashi patted Choj's large mid section and said, "You'd make a good goalie." The team all laughed, even Sasuke, and Choji beamed.

"First practice is this Thursday. I expect you all to be ten times better than you were today. As for the ones that didn't make it-" He paused and smirked, "Auditions for the team mascot will be held by Coach Hearts."

The team headed into the locker-room, and to my surprise, a few of the 'non-make its' actually stayed to audition for mascot! I snuck around the gym as Rafael did the chicken dance for Coach Hearts, and waited at the entrance. Sasuke would come out and then…what?

I hadn't really thought about it yet, but Kiba had **sex** with Karin. Which was Sasuke's girlfriend at the time. What would he do when he found out he'd been cheated on as well. Would he be mad? Or would he shake it off? Sasuke didn't seem like the shake it off type, nor did he look like the sensitive type either…

Shikamaru, one of the 'non-make it's' who **hadn't **stayed to audition for mascot exited the locker-room and without questioning my actions, I caught the locker-room door before it slung shut and slipped inside.

The fact that this was the **BOYS** locker-room hadn't occurred to me yet.

The fact that boys were probably undressing hadn't occurred to me either.

I just wanted to see **him. **That's all that mattered.

First thing I noticed about the boys locker room was that it was **loud**! People were shouting and laughing and cursing and…spitting? I avoided a puddle of spit and muttered, "Boys."

"Oh sit!"

"What the hell?"

"Hey!"

"Fuck!"

Boy after boy covered themselves with towels as I strolled inside and I covered my eyes with my hands before shouting, "Sasuke Uchiha!"

"Sakura?" That was Choji. "Uhh…you lost or something?"

"Nope." I shook my head, eyes still covered. "Where are you." I asked him and reached out, patting a bare belly of fat and smiled. "Hey Choji."

"Woe woe, watch where your patting." Choji laughed.

I pocked him in his belly button, "Where Sasuke?"

"Umm…" He said, then I heard him turn and shout, "Yo! Anyone know where Sasuke's at?"

"Shower." A few replied, and I felt a gallon of blood rush to my face as a mental image of a soaking wet, not to mention **naked, **Sasuke popped into my mind.

"Can somebody go get him please?" I asked to no one unparticular.

"Get who?" A deep, velvety voice asked from upfront.

I recognized that voice immediately. Breaking into a smile I let out a laugh, "Hey Uchiha."

My ill mood had gone away like the dust in the wind. All I could feel was humor, and how badly I wanted to brake into a full out fit of giggles.

"Is Sakura Haruno really in the middle of the boys locker-room?" I heard Sasuke ask.

"Uh, yeah, I think she is." I answered and heard Choji pass him a towel. "Okay, is every body covered up?"

I heard grunts and murmured yes's all around me and a laugh from Sasuke. "You can open your eyes now, Pinkette."

And I did. First thing I saw was Sasuke, with nothing but a white towel wrapped around his waist. Next thing I saw was his bracelet, which didn't actually stand for Karin after all, but his little sister Kaede. Wow…he really never takes it off does he? Then I saw the necklace. A plain gold chain with a small cross pendant. I'd never noticed it before, he must have worn it under his shirt. Close to his heart…it must have been important.

His hair was still damp, and it stuck up in even more directions then usual, like he just shook it and thought, "Done!"

Sasuke eyed me, and it was only then did I finally realize I was still wearing my cooking class apron. I forced myself to keep from blushing. "I kind of left in a hurry."

"I figured." He chuckled. Something in his dark eyes lightened, and he smiled. "But I like the look on you."

Something in that comment broke whatever awkwardness there was left, and I closed the distance between us. Throwing my arms around his neck I pressed myself to him, begging silently in my head that he'd hug me back. And he did. I could feel the strength in his arms as he held me back. I felt him smile against my hair.

"Maybe I should walk around half naked more often." He teased.

"Please do." I smiled into the crook of his neck. His bare chest was warm and still a little damp. He smelt fresh, clean.

He played with the tips of my hair, which fell to my waist. And suddenly Kiba's horrible words intruded my happy thoughts….

"_Yeah? "Well you __**used**__ to be beautiful. Then you did this shit to your hair!"_

But I could tell, just by the way he caressed my locks, Sasuke wouldn't agree with Kiba. He didn't think it was…shit.

"Alright can you two love birds continue this later?" Some boy groaned. "Dammit, Sasuke! The boys locker room is a place for belching without getting hit by my mum, and fighting without getting caught. Not-" He motioned towards the two of us, "This."

"Don't be jealous Matt." Sasuke tightened his grip around my waist. And something told me he wasn't planning on letting me go anytime soon.

"I'm jealous!" A boy shouted from behind me, so I couldn't tell who it came from, but it sounded like Karl from my English class.

I hid my face in Sasuke's chest to hide my blush and bit my lip to keep from laughing. Sometimes a girl has one of those moments where she feels like the most beautiful girl in the world. Well, being held by Sasuke, and having boys appraise me from every angle, I most definitely felt **Beautiful**.

"Hey." I lifted my head so I could look into his eyes. "Does that offer for a ride still stand?"

He broke into a grin, "Course."

Time to do some flying!

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

The wind played with my hair as it danced in the air. Sasuke's helmet protected my head if we were ever to get in a crash, but I was pretty sure by now that Sasuke knew what he was doing.

After Sasuke got dressed, and that Matt guy practically forced me outside, Sasuke walked me to my cooking club so I could pick up my bag which I had forgotten in my rush. I left Sasuke at the door as I walked inside, just in case Kiba was there. I never told him what I found out, and I decided I never was. I mean…what was the point? Karin and Sasuke broke up. Kiba and I were most definitely over, and I just wanted to forget the past and look forward to the future.

"I'm so sorry about earlier Mrs. Maggie." I apologized as I picked up my bag and returned the apron. "Sorry about storming out I mean, not about slapping him."

"Your forgiven." Mrs. Maggie gave me one of her looks, "That boy outside….He makes you happy?"

Her question surprised me, I didn't know she saw him out there. I smiled timidly, "Very."

"Good." She tossed me a sheet of paper. "So you should have fun making a dish with him."

"Sorry?" I asked, maybe I hadn't heard her right.

"Don't give me that look Sakura." She leaned her hip on the closest desk. "Today you missed your assignment. The assignment was to make a dish with a partner."

"Well I'll just make it with my mom." I said, folding the paper in half and putting it in my folder.

"Automatic zero!" She shook her head.

"What?" I flinched. **Zero? **In cooking club?

"I want you to make it with him. Anyone else just will not do." Mrs. Maggie smiled, but I saw a hint of evil in that smile. "A good boyfriend should be happy to cook with his girlfriend."

"We're not exactly dating." I tried to explain. But Mrs. Maggie is Mrs. Maggie, when she put her mind to something, like torturing me, she wouldn't budge.

After explaining this to Sasuke, he just smirked, "Sure. But one condition." He gave me an evil smirk, and I gulped nervously.

"What's the condition?" I asked. Half of me exited for his answer. **Say kiss me! **Say it! Say it! Another part of me was worried.

"The condition is-" He paused, "We make Tacos."

I blame myself. I mean, today must have been torture Sakura day. First with Kiba, then Mrs. Maggie, so I really should have seen **that** coming.

I let out an aggravated sigh, "Lets go tell Ino."

Ino was a little…hesitant. Which I totally got. I mean, it was Sasuke for crying out loud! And that was Sasuke's motorcycle! But she was my best friend, not my owner, so she eventually drove away with a promise from me to call her as soon as I got home.

"So where to?" I asked over Sasuke's shoulder as he started up the engine. It purred and growled to life and a tingle of nervousness ran down my body. But that came and went faster than I thought it would, and a new emotion coursed through my veins. I'll leave it to you to guess what it was…

"How does my house sound?" He asked. "My brother's in town with Julia."

"Julia is his fiancé…right?" I asked, struggling to remember what he told me at the Pizza shop.

He nodded, "Anyway, I made a promise I'd be there this week. Of course, if I'd known you'd be in this kind of mood, I'd have never made that promise."

"Oh?" I asked, "And what kind of mood is that?"

"An-" He looked up as if to find the perfect words, "Open minded one."

I let out a laugh, "That was so not what you were going to say."

Then, before I knew it, we were off to the Uchiha household.


	17. Chapter 17 Translation Please!

Jeez! I am so sorry for such the long wait. I'm a horrible person, I know! But I've had major writers block so…I don't know how to apologies for that. Your reviews kept pushing me to write write write. Unfortunately none of it worked for me, so I never posted it. FINALLY the long wait is over. Enjoy my children…okay that was dumb hehe

**Special shout out to chicken lovers out there: ****I found a baby chick today! She's so small and adorable and I named her Winnie! She loves to sleep in my hair. Haha and as of now she's sleeping in my hoody! Awesome right?**

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

_**If I had to give you one tip of advice for this chapter…always think pink. -Abigail Sage. **_

So Sasuke's parents had some money…okay, **lots **of money!

"Why didn't you tell me you lived in a castle?" I asked as Sasuke drove us through a set of giant metal gates. White jasmine vines and cherry tree's lined the driveway in an artistic, yet natural pattern. Oh yes, Ino would approve.

He scoffed as the bike came to a slow stop. Sasuke was the only boy who had a round-about driveway in their front yard. "It's only two stories."

That may be true…but still, it was huge! The house itself took up so much space! Poor mother earth probably lost an entire forest just to clear room for this house. I was about to mention this, mock him a little, make him feel guilty, but then I took it all in. I doubt mother earth would have minded….

The house itself was pure art, everything about it reminded me of the old Japanese houses in my history books. Flowers of every color and smell covered the yard. Some even climbed the house. It smelled so nice. Suddenly it hit me why Sasuke always smelled so clean and fresh.

"You know, you'll never see the inside sitting on my bike." Sasuke snapped me out of my day dream. It kind of went like this: Sasuke and I, running hand and hand in those yellow and pink flowers over there…

"True." I muttered, lifting the helmet from my head and shaking out my long pink hair. I fit right in with all these colors. I saw Sasuke smirk, and wondered whether he was thinking that to.

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

Okay, I admit, there're are some pretty scary things out there. Hurricanes, snakes, blood, really fat men….

But do you wanna' know what's really scary? What really gets your blood pumping, your hands sweating, and your heart racing?

Going to the **Uchiha** household, that's what!

"So your sure I'll be welcome? I mean your brother just got home, right?" I asked nervously, slipping off my helmet and balancing it on the motorcycle seat. I still don't get why no one has thought to invent a chain to lock up their belongings to their bike yet. Like, say, my precious helmet?

"Stop worrying Pinkette." He smiled and took my hand. It was so amazing how we could hold each others hand so easily. Like it as the most natural thing to do. I don't know…maybe I'm getting to excited about this.

"I'm not worrying." I muttered, but the look he gave showed me how poor a lie that was. "Look, I just don't want them to think of me as your girlfriend."

We stopped at the front door and he leaned forward, "What's so horrible about you and I dating Sakura?"

Sakura…Sakura…his voice seemed to make my name sound so, well…sexy.

I took an awkward step back and tried to clear my throat without making to many embarrassing noises. Truth was…I didn't really know how to answer that. I mean, I wouldn't say the idea of dating someone as attractive inside **and** out as Sasuke was horrible. In fact, I wouldn't say that at all. Its just that dating Sasuke was something I probably wasn't ready for. It seemed like we met so long ago, but really it had only been a few days. To sum it all up nicely, being with Sasuke would be the rollercoaster I wasn't prepared to ride yet. Case closed! Now how do I explain this to him…

Suddenly I was nervous.

I stared down at our hands and sighed, "Well you see…the thing is-"

"Rose hair and Vert eyes?" A soft bell voice interrupted us, and I jerked my hand from Sasuke's. A slim, beautiful, blonde woman dressed in a fancy cream dress and heels had opened the door for us. She stood with her hip leaning on the door frame. Her hair was tied high up in a pony tail and small crystal earrings dangled from her ears. It gave her a professional and sophisticated look. Sasuke's mother?

"Umm?" Sakura where the hell did your big girl words go?

"She meant to say Pink hair and Green eyes." Sasuke muttered, then sighed. "Sakura meet Julia Marie Antonette."

Memories came rushing back. Memories of Sasuke talking about his brother and how Itachi left for Paris one weekend, then came back with a fiancé. A French fiancé.

"Soon to be Julia Marie **Uchiha**." Her eyes shimmered at the idea, and I couldn't help but smile. I wonder if I'll ever get that look in my eyes when I think about my future husband…

"Nice to meet you Julia." I held out my hand for her, but she wasn't having any of that. She seemed to never have heard of personal boundaries since she came lunging my way, and before I knew it, her arms were holding me in a much tighter hug than I ever would have guessed she was capable of. Either way, she smelled nice. French perfume? Probably…

"Très jolie." She finally released me and gave Sasuke a smirk. "Soyez un homme avec son."

I tried to ignore my annoyance. Couldn't she speak English?

Sasuke surprised me by wrapping an arm around my waist, and saying to her: "Ne vous inquiétez pas."

Julia gave me a wink and turned on her heel, "Entrer!" I knew what that one meant: Come in.

"Sasuke?" I asked so only he would here. "I cant speak French. What did she say?"

He smirked and leaned done so that his lips were level with my ear. His warm breath scent chills, the good kind, down my spine. "I'll never tell."

I pulled back and smirked at the challenge in his eyes, "Wanna' bet?"

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

"Something tells me you just moved in." I giggled as we maneuvered our way through several moving boxes. But even with all the stuff laying around, his house was still much nicer than my own. One thing I noticed right away was the staircase. It shined and glittered off the light from the sky roof, like it was made from marble. Top of the line for sure!

"Yeah." He sighed, shoving a box to the clear the way with his foot. "But the kitchens all clear."

I moaned, "Do we really have to make Taco's?"

He smirked, "You bet."

I scowled. Great, just great. Not only do I have to make a dish with Sasuke, but now I'm going to have to make a **Mexican **dish. Whoever's up there…just know your cruel!

"But Mexican food is gross." I whined. "Why don't we make an omelet instead?"

"Mexican omelet?"

I should have seen **that** one coming. I swear! He has to be the most stubborn sex god I have ever met!

We entered through a cute glass door that separated the kitchen from the rest of the house, and I suddenly felt like I stepped into one of those rich cooking shows my mom always watches.

"Sasuke-" I breathed in amazement. "Your kitchen is beautiful!"

Instead of regular white walls like in my kitchen, Sasuke's was made of real slabs of rock! The wood was a warm brown, and the honey colored lights from the ceiling and windows glimmered on the grey and black marble countertops. But that's not what was so beautiful about the room. It was the island. Somehow, someway, they built a tree statue to climb to the ceiling and its branches spread along the ceiling. I had no idea how they did it, but I was definitely impressed. **(A/N This is a real kitchen! If you want to see a picture of it go to my profile and look up Why I Dyed My Hair Pink Extras!)**

"My mom designed it herself." He smiled down at my astonished expression. Clearly amused.

"I want this kitchen." I mumbled. "I need this kitchen." I ran my fingers over the countertop. Hell, I don't care if I was frying chicken crap! I'd be happy cooking in this kitchen no matter what the dish! "I think I'm in love!"

"Me too." I thought I heard him mumble, but I'm pretty sure I was just hearing things.

"Right!" I clapped my hands together. "If we're making taco's we'll need-"

"Lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, sauce, hamburger meat, and seasoning." I was yet again interrupted by a female voice. But this one was different. I don't know how, but I knew instantly who this woman was, even before turning around.

Mrs. Uchiha, A.k.a Sasuke's mother…

She was beautiful. The type of woman who was probably attractive her entire life. But she also had this smile…this sweet and gentle smile that gave me the perfect motherly vibe. Sasuke's smirk was definitely inherited by Mrs….I mean Grandma, because I cant picture the woman in front of me with anything other than a smile.

"Hello Sakura." Sasuke's mother reached out her hand. "Or at least I hope your she, Sasuke's only talked about one pinkette before."

I laughed and shook her hand, "Hi Mrs. Uchiha. It's nice to meet you."

"Likewise." She gave a quick glance at Sasuke, "Sasuke has talked so much about you."

"Really?" I smirked.

"She's exaggerating." Sasuke muttered.

"No I'm not." His mother beamed.

He blushed like a little boy. Suddenly I could see his mother in him. Utterly adorable…

I decided to save him from further embarrassment, because quite frankly, I knew I'd be paying for it later. "You have a beautiful home ."

She smiled so large I was afraid her lips would tare. "You really think so?" She took a look around the kitchen as if she were seeing it for the first time. "I designed it myself."

"You've got talent." I blushed, if only I could be so creative.

"Oui elle est très talentueux!" Julia came through the kitchen doors. I'd probably never get used to her beauty.

"Now Juli you know I cant understand a word you say." Mrs. Uchiha rolled her eyes, "Please speak in a language I can understand."

"I was agreeing with Sakura, you really do have talent."

"I still think I should have-"

Sasuke tugged on my shirt and put his finger to his lips: Be quiet.

We quietly walked away as the two beautiful females discussed decorations and home decor. Sasuke led me to a back door that held a flight of stairs. A door from the kitchen to the upstairs? Now that's something I've never seen before…

We only went two steps up before Sasuke stopped and turned around. I bumped into his chest and squealed as he held me around my waist so I wouldn't tumble backwards.

"What are you-"

"You wanna' see my room?" He smirked.

Pretty boy say **what?**

*-*-*Abigail15Sage*-*-*

"I don't know what your up to, Sasuke-" I growled, and took another small inch forward. I couldn't see a thing since a certain black eyed boy decided he wanted to cover my eyes with his hands and walk behind me. "But I doubt I'll like it."

"Trust me Pinkette."

How many times had he reminded me to 'trust him?' How many times had this one boy made my stomach flip, my heart race, and my cheeks flush?

"Are we almost there?" I didn't exactly like being lead blind. What human did? Seeing was one of the 5...sometimes 6 senses after all.

"Two more steps." He replied. I could feel his warm breath on my ear, and I thanked the goddess he was walking behind me.

I reached out my hands and brushed my fingertips against his door.

"Oh look." I sneered. "A door knob."

"Sarcasm isn't like you pinkette." I could imagine his smirk.

I opened the door and…

"Oh god.." I muttered as we entered Sasuke's room. Why was I so surprised? After seeing his house, his kitchen…I should have known his room would be the size of my actual house!

"Its smaller than my last room," He shrugged. "But I'll live."

I shook my head at him from behind his back. Smaller than his last room? You have got to be kidding me!

I scanned his room, "White walls?"

"For now." He smirked. "Why? What were you expecting?"

If I was being honest I would say: Every inch of space being taken up by posters of girls in bikini's…or worse. But I decided to play nice. "Blue and black…maybe red?"

"Why do you say that?" He asked with his eyebrows raised curiously.

Suddenly I was caught with nothing to say.

Again, if I was being honest, I'd tell him it was the colors he was wearing when we first met at the Uchiha hair shop. But that would mean that I had memorized his outfit and nothing good could come from **that**!

I clasped my hands behind my back and played it cool, "No reason. You just look like the type of guy who could blend in with those colors. Knowing how much you get beat up and all." I smirked. "We both know you cant fight."

He looked back at me as if I was the dumbest person alive.

I sighed, "Red for blood, blue for bruises black for-"

He scoffed, "You have no idea what your talking about pinkette."

"Uhuh." I teased and took a few steps toward him. "If you say so."

He rolled his eyes, "I do."

Again another step, "So you've never gotten in a fight before?"

He crossed his arms, "I never said that."

"Oh sorry." I smirked and took the last step so that I had to look up to match his eyes. "My mistake."

In this room, all alone with Sasuke, for some weird reason, I felt strong. Like this tall, well built boy couldn't hurt me even if he tried. I was reminded of that time me and Ino sat down to watch Cat Women. How this sweet and shy woman who never once stood up for herself turned out to be one kick ass female. One who made men run for safety.

I felt like her right now.

"Sasuke, how many fights have you been in?" I couldn't tell you why I was still pushing this. Maybe because I was curious.

"Stop staring up at me with those big eyes." He muttered, but didn't take a step back.

I came up on the tips of my toes, "Make me."

His eyes widened, and I could see the little boy inside. Was I really the one in charge here? Yes…yes I was.

I could never say that before. Or at least…not with Sasuke.

A surge of adrenalin followed after this realization like a crashing wave. Something different from when your about to be hit by a car, or when your plane is falling out of the sky.

"Sasuke.." His name slipped from my mouth before I even realized what I was trying to say. "What did Julia say to you in French?"

Earlier, before I even met his mom I met Julia, Itcahi's fiancé. She had said something to Sasuke in French and I couldn't understand her. All I knew was that Sasuke ended up wrapping his arm around my waist. Giving me one of the hottest blushes of my life!

He took a step back, "I already told you it didn't matter."

"No." I shook my head. "You never said that. You said you'd never tell and I said-"

"You wanna' bet." He mumbled.

I cracked a smile, "Exactly." I poked him in the chest, "Now cough it up Uchiha."

"Why does it matter to you so much?"

That question took me by surprise, but I didn't hesitate. "Known of your business."

He smirked, "That can work both ways."

"Look you-" I was about to yell when a single knock came from his door. We both took an immediate step back, but it was to late.

A small girl, maybe around thirteen stood at the threshold. She seemed to be looking at the entire room, like she could take in everything. Her hair was pale blonde, even blonder than Ino's, almost white. And she was absolutely stunning.

The girl smiled, "Whats up big bro!"

**K.u?**


	18. Im finally back! :D

Okay…okay….okay…wow o don't know how to start this (heh..heh)

I realize how horrible I was to just ditch my stories and leave all of you hanging.

I have a very good reason though. If you will listen id be happy to tell

So well….I fell in love.

Desperately in love

My love life was so passionate and strong I didn't feel the need to write out my desires anymore. Because that's what my stories are. A way to vent

But I'm happy to I'm back! I want to continue all of my stories! This one especially! Thank you for the reviews while I was gone. I promise to post new chapters soon!

Gosh…for those who have never felt love….its amazing and beautiful! I think my romances will benefit because of it too!

Expect more soon!

I love you all


End file.
